News & Stories

Quality Bicycle Products Makes Major Gift For Wirth Trails

We are thrilled to announce that we received a $100,000 gift from Quality Bicycle Products (QBP). QBP’s gift supports the capital campaign, and specifically helps us to add mountain bike event trails to Theodore Wirth Park. With their generous support, we will be able to add roughly 4.5 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.

This is a historic gift for QBP and the owners Steve Flagg and Mary Henrickson.

Steve Flagg, founder and chairman of QBP, is excited about the construction of The Trailhead and surrounding park. “QBP was looking for a project to donate to that could benefit a community with mountain biking and outdoors as a central focus. It’s fantastic that such a great opportunity that accomplishes so much just happened to be located near Downtown Minneapolis. It’s unheard of to find a mountain bike park like this in an urban area that is not only accessible to students from ten nearby schools, but accessible via bike paths as well. This will be great for kids involved in National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) and families throughout the city including our own QBP families,” says Flagg.

Flagg is optimistic that The Trailhead and surrounding trails will show other cities that it is economically feasible to build a successful centrally-located urban mountain bike park. The easily accessible competitive events and opportunities provided to learn things like new sports, trail building, and just enjoying being outside will strengthen community, but most importantly says Flagg, “It aligns so well with our mission to get more butts on bikes, and for that, we couldn’t be happier to help.”

In recognition of QBP’s generous gift, we will be naming segments of the trails in their honor. Thanks, QBP, for your leadership in the community and this project.