Ready to take another lap
The city of Coeur d’Alene agreed to renew its ongoing partnership with the BMX Association Tuesday night, paving the way for future events on the BMX Track at the Cherry Hill Community Park.
The agreement, which extends the city’s partnership with the nonprofit BMX program for an additional three years, places the majority of the maintenance burden on the bicycling association — as well as cleanup costs after events — in return for use of the track for official BMX events.
Terrence Northington, track operator and president of Cherry Hill BMX, attributed the agreement to the positive relationship his organization has had with Coeur d’Alene.
“We’ve had a wonderful relationship for the last 15 years with the city,” Northington said. “It goes back to 2003. It’s a strong bond we have. Everybody’s very respectful of each other’s needs. We get a lot of support from the community. We have since day one.”
Cherry Hill is a sanctioned and recognized track through USA BMX, meaning it can host qualifiers for larger events. While participants usually pay a registration fee, the events are usually free to the public.
“Cherry Hill’s a unique track,” he said. “Every track is different. Every track varies in size and material. But Cherry Hill always been unique to the Northwest area. It sits on a hill, so it has a downhill slope. You drop in elevation throughout the track. That, right there, makes it pretty unique.”
Local BMX events at Cherry Hill, which can number between 25 and 40 each year, draw a healthy crowd of riders and spectators.
“We’ve had as high as 200 local kids in one season being part of it,” Northington added. “Each year, we try to build up a complete schedule of regular events.”
Those events, which take place Saturdays starting at 11 a.m. and Tuesday summer nights at 5:30 p.m. starting in June, are great opportunities to participate, but they also attract interest for larger events. Regional and state qualifiers usually draw a more diverse field from a larger area, Northington said.
“We have people who come in from all over,” he added. “Hawaii, Alaska, British Columbia, Alberta, the East Coast, Wisconsin. It’s kind of neat to see those guys. A few of our kids would never have a chance to see some of those guys unless they drove to a big city. It’s a great opportunity for them to get close to some of these popular riders.”
One such opportunity on the horizon is a three-day weekend event starting Friday, July 26, when Coeur d’Alene will hold its annual Race For Life, which benefits the Leukemia Foundation. Saturday, July 27, the track will host a Gold Cup qualifier, followed by an Idaho State qualifier that Sunday, July 28.
The real excitement, Northington said, starts this Saturday when Cherry Hill BMX kicks off a six-week, beginners-only program that includes instruction.
“It’s an awesome way for people to come out and learn,” Northington said. “There won’t be more experienced kids riding around that they’re intimidated by.”
Even those who don’t ride have opportunities to interact with competitors during a robust volunteer schedule.
“We love to promote our work,” Northington said. “We’re out in the community. We’ve helped out with Ironman. We’ve [taken part] in the city parades. We’ve worked hard to show that we’re part of the community, and we’re thankful we all get to continue to call Cherry Hill our home.”