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The Loppet Foundation :: News & Stories :: Grant Awarded for Mountain Bike Event Trails

Grant Awarded for Mountain Bike Event Trails

mtb-trails

peopleforbikes-logoPeopleForBikes, a national organization, has awarded the Loppet Foundation a $10,000 grant to support the addition of mountain bike event trails in Theodore Wirth Park. The grant will be used to add 3.5 to 4 miles of trails suitable for mountain biking, fat tire riding, cyclocross, trail running, and hiking.

Adding to an already extensive network within the park, the trails will support existing youth programs and provide a more accessible venue for the quickly-growing local high school mountain bike league. The trails will be suitable for events, but also for everyday use by high school teams, Loppet programs, recreational bikers, runners, and fat tire bikers.

These trails are a part of the long-term Master Plan for Theodore Wirth Park as laid out by the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board. The Loppet Foundation, in partnership with the Park Board, is working towards an Adventure Center project to provide greater access to the outdoor opportunities at Wirth Park and new trails are an integral part of this project.

It is our goal to increase opportunities for outdoor and active living in Minneapolis and the greater metro area. Specifically, we want to provide a venue for local races, and access to unique terrain like skills areas and pump tracks for the Minneapolis mountain bike racing community. We also want to improve access to outdoor recreation for the communities surrounding Theodore Wirth Park and the wider cycling community in the Twin Cities metro area.

The PeopleForBikes Community Grant Program provides funding for important and influential projects that leverage federal funding and build momentum for bicycling in communities across the U.S. These projects include bike paths and rail trails, as well as mountain bike trails, bike parks, BMX facilities, and large-scale bicycle advocacy initiatives.

Since 1999, PeopleForBikes has awarded more than 366 grants to bicycling projects and programs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The Spring 2016 grant awardees are creating better places to bike for all ages and every type or rider.