INDIANAPOLIS – In 2015, two officers of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) North District Bike Unit had a unique idea to build relationships between youth and officers in areas of North District that were under-resourced and experiencing high crime rates. The IMPD Youth Mountain Bike Project was born with the establishment of the IMPD Headquarters Mountain Bike Skills Park at Washington Park, located at 3130 E. 30th St. — the only mountain bike park in the urban core of Indianapolis.
The Park includes 13 features that provide youth with opportunities to learn mountain biking skills they likely would never experience. Participants use bikes stored on site and learn from certified and trained mountain bike instructors. IMPD partners with the Indy Public Safety Foundation to help raise funds and additional resources for the park’s operation.
In 2016 and 2017, through both the bike park and mobile programming, the project served more than 1,600 youth from neighborhoods throughout Indianapolis. The project and its outcomes caught the eye of Indy Parks Foundation President Lori Hazlett.
A grant from the Indy Parks Foundation will bring a brand new, $50,000 pump track to the IMPD Headquarters Mountain Bike Skills Park. This track will be one of only two in the city and will provide youth and community members to learn important skills and techniques for mountain biking. In addition, the grant will provide a new park shelter and many other enhancements, as well as the establishment of a high school mountain bike racing team.
