How Do You
Describe a Sound?
If I say “thwok” does it instill
images of a crisp yellow tennis ball
slicing across a blue court ? If I say
“braap” does it stir up excitement
from the moto crowd envisioning a
quick flick of the right wrist fueling
a hungry engine, as they speed fearlessly through the passing trees?
How do you describe the sound of
silence in sport?
Sitting up on the ramp at the new
Lions Bike Park, a biker focuses,
breathing. Up here the full extent of
the landscape is in view: The jump
lines, the drop in, the berm, the ball
field, and a little peek-a-boo view of
the Salish sea. The biker hones in on
the task at hand, takes a deep breath,
and drops in. You’ll hear the chain
engage as it drives the tires forward.
The rider pilots the bike forward, as
it smoothly rolls over the edge of the
drop in, gravity pulling it, accelerating as it gets closer to the jump. The
tires engage, gripping the dirt as rider and bike carve their way to the lip
of the first jump. Lifting off from the
lip of the jump, the rider is engulfed
in the excitement and rush of air
time, as they sail to the landing, in a
moment of complete silence.
Local bike riders can now
enjoy this special moment
at the new Lions Bike Park.
Tucked away in the back corner
of the Lions Park you’ll find a small
mountain of dirt, piled high enough
to set the stage for 3 dedicated jump
lines. Like a ski hill, the lines range
from green to black and include
features like table top jumps, gap
jumps, and berms. The area is well
thought out and easy to follow as
a rider progresses their skills,
working towards that highly
sought after, silent air
time.
The park also has a
hidden gem of a skills park
tucked away on the forest side.
Here you can ride the same features you’ll find on most mountain
biking trails. Features to build your
skills like ladder bridges and rock
gardens.
It’s a lot of fun.
Lately I’ve been hearing a lot of
noise. The awesome sounds of community chatter. Community coming
out to celebrate this new facility. I’ve
seen kids of all ages checking out the
park. I’ve seen parents and grandparents helping their tots safely navigate
the beginner zone on run bikes with
tires no bigger than a starter plate.
I’ve met riders from Qualicum,
Errington, and Nanaimo all travelling to ride our community park.
I’ve seen families rolling up their
sleeves and getting involved to maintain the park with water, shovels, and
rakes.
Most recently we hosted Family
Rides at the park. A program designed around beginner riders and
focused on getting families out
on their bikes together in a social
setting. We just took our first steps
into the social media world with
dedicated Lighthouse Recreation
Facebook and Instagram pages.
We’ll be using these platforms
to help connect our area residents
to recreation opportunities. This is
where you’ll see information about
programs like Family Rides or family
events like Bocce. Lighthouse Recreation is here to support recreation
and cultural programs and events
and we want hear from you.
Maybe it’s not so much noise I’m
hearing, or silence. Maybe it’s more
like a feeling. A feeling of community gathering, building, and progressing.
I’m caught up in it and I’m excited
to be a part of it. I hope you stop
by the bike park for a ride or just to
take in the sights, and caught up in
the sounds yourself