If you spend significant time riding Revelstoke trails on two wheels and you’ve got two ears, you’ve likely heard the rumour that a downhill bike park is in the works for Revelstoke.
Jason Roe of Revelstoke-based property development company Black Tie Properties has confirmed to the Times Review that they’re exploring plans for a downhill bike park at a property they own in the Greeley area.
“We’re really in the conceptual stage of thinking about doing this,” Roe told the Times Review. Black Tie has been doing preliminary research and spoken with local riders, bike park designers, provincial officials and Revelstoke Mountain Resort about the idea.
But at this point, the idea remains preliminary, Roe stressed. He was reluctant to discuss much in the way of details, primarily out of concern that the company would appear to be breaking protocol and upsetting regulators. “We’re not assuming it’s a guaranteed process,” Roe said. “I just don’t want everyone out there saying, ‘Hey, you’re building this, then we [hinder] our application.’”
He said that Black Tie was exploring the possibility of buying a used ski lift. “That would be very ideal, but that’s very expensive,” Roe said. Another option they’re exploring would be combining a shuttle vehicle with a specialized bike trailer that could hold multiple bikes. “[The operation] really needs to make economic sense,” he said. “How do we make that feasible and still make money on it?”
The Times Review has reported on Black Tie’s plans to develop a second base village in Greeley for Revelstoke Mountain Resort. The development would include a lift that runs up Mount Mackenzie’s north face. The great recession and prolonged slump in resort real estate has put the project on hold, Roe said. “That long-term plan is still part of it,” he added.
Based on scant shreds of truth, the rumours about the gravity park have proliferated wildly. “I’ve heard things that I’ve never even said or thought of,” Roe said. “I heard someone say that Red Bull and we were building a Red Bull park ... that would be interesting, because Red Bull doesn’t sponsor any properties ... I wish that was the case,” he joked.
Roe was reluctant to discuss more details. Black Tie is in the process of developing appropriate applications for the park. The concept would require permits and permissions from provincial authorities. Roe didn’t want to appear to be publicizing the concept before authorities had the chance to review the application and put it forward for public comment. To be clear, the Times Review contacted Roe about the rumour, not the other way around.
Roe said he’d provide an update on the application once it was further developed and filed with authorities for review. “I think the concept is a great concept for Revelstoke,” Roe said. “I just want to talk to [provincial authorities] before I do any press release.”
Black Tie Properties has several development properties in various stages of development around Revelstoke. They’re proposing re-purposing the Canada West RV Park west of Revelstoke into 18 hotel units and 66 cabins. The development would be focused on the winter snowmobile market. They’re also proposing smaller subdivision, condominium and residential developments in and around Revelstoke.
The Greeley area is located several kilometres east of Revelstoke along the Trans-Canada Highway. It is an area of flat land adjacent to the Illecillewaet River at the foot of Mount Mackenzie. Historically, it was a farming area.