Plans for BMX bike park in southwest Fresno unveiled, lifting neighbors spirits

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- BMX bikers had a vision for southwest Fresno. The project is ground-breaking in more ways than one.

"This side is going to have a big ol' bank. It's going to carve around. They're gonna be a lot of ramps and rails," Ray Ybarra can't wait to give the quarter pipes a try.

"This side of town needs something like this. They have nothing this cool and maybe it'll change their attitudes about their neighborhood and the way it looks," he said.

Residents will tell you progress has come slowly in southwest Fresno.

But you can feel the buzz around the Mary Ella Brown Community Center. The push to build a new BMX bike park came from young people.

"They recognized that there were very few recreational spaces where they could come and just be kids, enjoy themselves and not be in trouble," said Dr. Vernice Curry.

The project needed neighborhood support to move forward and folks like Jennie Ramirez were all in.

"Because I see the children. I walk and drive just watching the children in the street. They need something like this to keep them occupied," Ramirez said.

A fund drive by Building Healthy Communities was able to raise half of the park's $600,000 cost. The City of Fresno will cover the other half.

the Disney Foundation donated $50,000 to get the project going.

"Our friend Mickey was the first one to respond and they actually, the Disney Foundation, was the first one to put seed money to make this park a reality," said Sandra Celedon.

The BMX park should be ready to roll on December 18th.

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