Joyride 150 is a new skatepark in Markham, Ontario and I just read some interesting details about it on Capital. It seems absolutely ridiculous to me that they would build a BMX spot out of chip board and not allow brakeless bikes into the building. What do I know, though? Not enough to run a park, I guess.
Anyway, Capital put it perfectly, and you can read the rest of their entry right here.
“I’m no prophet, but I predict doom for Markham’s new answer to the famous “Ray’s MTB”. This park, if you haven’t already heard about it, is a year round all bike training ground with all kinds of really cool ramps, all made out of a space age wood compound called “chip board”… I’m not a scientist or anything, so I couldn’t begin to explain to you how engineers have crafted this magical board for maximum strength and durability. Although I seem to remember how easily squirrels could bore through it and get into my cottage as a kid… before we changed the window shutters to ply wood… but again.. I’m neither a scientist or a carpenter so what do I know.
The park does look pretty fun, I’ll give it that. The ramps seem well shaped, and the little bits of video footage I’ve seen online show some pretty gnarly riding. However, despite their seductive shapes, I’m sure as soon as someone spills a gatorade on the ramps, that spongey wood will suck it all up and change forms dramatically. Perhaps a no water rule will be implemented, it seems that management has a hardon for ridiculous usage stipulations so anything is possible.
Of these stipulations, one is “No brakeless bikes” (as seen above). And this really makes me reflect upon the failures of EVERY SINGLE INDOOR PARK to open in ontario over the past decade. Every time they fold, and always because they can’t remain financially viable. Not enough clientelle. So obviously opening a new park in Markham, it makes sense to bar 70% of the BMX/MTB community’s riders from riding it. And not even that, all the pro riders in the Toronto area are brakeless. The most influential dudes in the area will never ride that park. Great choice guys! You’ve clearly thought this one through. If you should have banned anything it should be pegs, not even perfect brakes will stop pegs from making gnarly holes in all your chip board ramps.”
