SHAKOPEE, Minn. — The growing community of mountain bikers will soon have another venue to test their skills, after ground was broken on a new park scheduled to open this December in Shakopee.
The park, which will be located at Xcel Energy's Blue Lake power plant and Quarry Lake Park, will feature four loops that go around Quarry Lake with riding options for everyone from beginners to advanced riders. The single-track style course will meander between existing tree cover and a larger prairie area, taking advantage of both natural and man-made topography.
Planning of the trail was done in coordination with active mountain bikers from the community and community organizations such as the Shakopee Mountain Biking Team and Little Bellas. It is the result of a partnership of diverse shareholders, from Xcel Energy and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux community to the Shakopee Pubic Schools and the City of Shakopee.
“The new mountain bike park is an outstanding example of different organizations working together for the greater good of the community,” said Mike Redmond, Superintendent, Shakopee School District. “At one point, we were considering building a much smaller bike trail. Thanks to terrific communication and support between the City of Shakopee, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, Xcel Energy, and Shakopee Public Schools, we were able to join together and create an outcome that is far superior to these initial plans.”
The City of Shakopee will partner with the Shakopee School District to build the four-mile mountain bike course. The district received financial support from the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community to build this trail for use by both public riders and the Shakopee Mountain Bike Team. The design and location of the trail supports future plans to use the course for National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) racing.
Organizers expect the park will open in December for winter fat tire biking.
