(Rendering | Courtesy of The Roundhouse Foundation via AmericanRampCompany.com)
Building Healthy Families Announces Grand Opening of New Wallowa Bike Park on August 27
Building Healthy Families announces the grand opening of the Wallowa Bike Park in Wallowa Oregon, made possible through the support of several community partners, including the participation of students from the region. The 12,000-square-foot outdoor facility, built on land donated by the Wallowa School District, includes rollers, tunnels, pump tracks, rock gardens and a wide number of areas for kids to ride bikes, scooters, skateboards and/or rollerblades. Donations and support from local businesses and student volunteers, along with grants from organizations like The Roundhouse Foundation in Sisters, Oregon, made the new park possible.
“We know that the benefits of physical activity for children, especially in underserved areas like Wallowa, can contribute to better mental health, individual empowerment and a more inclusive community,” said Ron Pickens of Building Healthy Families. “I experienced this first-hand for myself as a child, when I found a positive outlet in recreational sports like biking and skateboarding. That’s one reason I was so passionate about this project. I can’t wait to see all the good things it will bring to the community, and am so thankful for all the support we’ve received to make it possible.”
Students from Wallowa county were engaged in the entire process of building the park, from conducting pre-construction community surveys to grassroots fundraising and from speaking at City Council meetings to designing and constructing the park itself. A youth art contest was held to select the new logo for the park (attached). The park was built on a lot occupied by an unused tennis court on Wallowa School District lands.
The Roundhouse Foundation, which supports innovative programs in Oregon’s rural communities, provided a grant for both the first and final phases of the project, and additional financial support was received fromT he Ford Family Foundation, Autzen Foundation and Oregon Community Foundation — Trail Blazers Foundation Fund.
“We were so impressed with this project and the leadership that the young people of Wallowa County showed to make it happen,” said Erin Borla, executive director of The Roundhouse Foundation. “Building Healthy Families inspired their students and supported the learning of employable skills while leading this project through all phases: planning, design, fundraising and assisting with the construction. This local project also helps to make recreation opportunities accessible for families in this rural county while thinking creatively about a unique space in their community.”
The Wallowa Bike Park grand opening:
WHEN: Saturday, August 27, 2022 from 10am-2pm
WHERE: 207 W 2nd Street, Wallowa, OR 97885
MORE INFORMATION: Community Partners will be set up providing swag and local resources, bikes and skateboards will be raffled throughout the day;, guest speaker Bobby Jones will be presenting; food and sno cones will be available. For further details, call 541-426-9411.
About Building Healthy Families:
Founded in 1999, Building Healthy Families (BHF) is an independent, nonprofit family support organization, offering personalized universal family support and education programs for parents, caregivers, parents-to-be, students and children through diversified programming. The organization focuses on child development, age-appropriate behavior, parent-child interaction, positive discipline and family health and safety. BHF promotes family access to needed resources in the community and advocates for children and families to create environments that assure children’s school readiness, success and life skills.
About The Roundhouse Foundation:
The Roundhouse Foundation is a private, family foundation, based in Sisters, Oregon since 2002. The Foundation believes that solutions to the unique challenges of Oregon’s rural communities can be found through creative thinking and problem-solving, innovation and collaboration. We partner with community organizations to develop, implement and sustain creative, place-based approaches and programs that strengthen and celebrate rural Oregon.
In addition to providing grant services to rural communities and tribal regions throughout Oregon, The Roundhouse Foundation operates Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts and Agriculture in Sisters.
