Frequently Asked Questions

A bike skills park is a purpose-built outdoor facility where people can learn and practice mountain bike skills. It includes features that can be found on mountain bike trails such as dirt jumps, wooden drops, and raised wooden structures. A park may also include singletrack trails and pump tracks. Bike park features are designed for beginner, intermediate and advanced riders, and help people progress their skills in a safe environment. 

Mountain biking is becoming more and more popular, and people are looking for recreation opportunities close to home. There is nowhere formal for riders of all ages and abilities to practice and improve mountain bike skills. A bike skills park would provide a safe and progressive learning environment for all Edmontonians interested in the sport. The need for a local bike skills park was identified when the City did public consultation for its Queen Elizabeth Park Master Plan. 

The total cost to build the bike skills park will depend on its design.  Our current estimate is about $1.2 million.

EMBA will fundraise to build the skills park and will seek donations, grants, and other forms of financial support from: all orders of government; businesses; organizations that support biking, outdoor recreation and community development; and members of the community (like you!).

We hope that the bike skills park is ready to ride by the end of 2024. How fast we can build the park depends largely on how fast we can fundraise to pay for it. 

Thanks for asking! Please visit our donation page for more info! We’ll be tracking all donations to the bike park separately from other donations to EMBA, and they will be directed to bike park project activities only. Your donations to build this awesome facility will not be added to our general funds and we will share information as we go about how much has been donated and how donations are being spent. 

The site of the former wastewater treatment plant in QE park is ideally located and sized for a bike skills park. It is a wide open space in a central spot and is accessible via many modes of transportation. A bike skills park is identified as the future use of this site in the City’s QE Park Master Plan. 

Thanks for asking! At this point in time, you can donate, volunteer on our bike park subcommittee, and spread the word through your networks. Eventually there will be more roles to fill and letters of support to write – stay tuned!

EMBA is leading the project and working with City representatives through the City’s Community Group Led Construction Projects process. 

The skills park will benefit people who bike now and those who want to bike in the future. This includes riders of all ages and abilities, from kids to adults, beginner to advanced. It will also benefit other Edmontonians and visitors who spend time in this area of the river valley by attracting more people and more active users, helping to keep the QE park area safe. 

Yes, in late 2021 we surveyed people online to find out what they would like to see in the skills park. What we heard informed the current draft design for the space. We’re looking forward to getting your feedback on the draft design in early 2023!

We’ll be following all the rules and requirements in place around environmental impacts and construction, including the River Valley bylaw. 

EMBA and the City of Edmonton will work out plans and agreements for ongoing bike skills park operations and maintenance as part of the formal Community Group Led Construction Projects process.

EMBA will hire an experienced contractor to design and build the park. We may also look for volunteers to help with labour!