Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia- July, 6th 2022
MTB Atlanta and City of Smyrna have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding centered around work at North Cooper Lake Bike Park and beyond.
MTB Atlanta and City Parks have been actively working together since the initial planning of the North Cooper Lake Bike Park project. Board representatives from MTB Atlanta were present at the initial public input meetings for the North Cooper Lake Bike Park project conducted by City staff and the professional trail building company, Progressive Bike Ramps, who did the concept plan for the park.
In that meeting connections were made between City staff and MTB Atlanta and a letter of recommendation was written by MTB atlanta Board President Brett Davidson to support the the Recreational Trails Program Grant application written for the Progressive Bike Ramp design by City staff.
In 2017, City of Smyrna was awarded the RTP grant to fully fund construction of the Bike Park and trails at the park. During construction MTB Atlanta volunteers helped aid in construction by doing finishing work and corridor clearing.
Since the opening of the park, MTB Atlanta has worked with the City of Smyrna Parks department to run volunteer events for trail maintenance and park clean ups as well as conduct Sustainable Trails Workshops to train volunteers on best practices of sustainable trail design and maintenance at no cost to the City.
The City has also hired MTB Atlanta’s Professional Trail building crew MTB Atlanta Pro Trails to rework the jump lines at the park twice since their opening. MTB Atlanta Pro Trails also did heavy maintenance on the down hill only Flow trail at the park in Summer 2021
“We are excited to formalize our work with City of Smyrna Parks and the City by entering into this MOU,” says Brett Davidson, Executive Director of MTB Atlanta. “The Board of MTB Atlanta has believed since we were first engaged with this project that the bike park at North Cooper Lake is the best example of a purpose built bike park in Metro Atlanta designed around progression and community. Its also the best place we’ve seen for kids and beginners to cut their teeth mountain biking and jumping with a tot track, progressive skills area, a hard surface pump track, slope style runs, downhill flow trails and a great XC trail system at the park. We value our relationship with Park staff and in particular Director Richard Garland. We have a ton of gratitude for him and the community around the park for shepherding the first purpose built bike park to Metro Atlanta.”
