BMX Bike Riders Want Round Rock To Not Ban Them At Skate Park

ROUND ROCK, TX -- BMX riders are united around a shared cause: Convincing city officials to allow BMX bikes at the city's skate park, according to a published report.

At the last regular meeting of the Round Rock City Council, the BMX bikers urged officials to let them practice their sport at the concrete Shaylah Dame Skate Park off Gattis School Road, as the Austin American-Statesman recently reported. Only skateboards and in-line skates are currently allowed at the facility.

Joe Rich, a local BMX practitioner, argued the bikes are often alongside skateboards in the X Games, for which he serves as a judge: "The two go hand-in-hand," the Statesman quoted him as saying. "They always have, since the start of both of them in the '60s."

He also argued the exclusion sends a negative message counter to the ideals of inclusion: "For lack of a better word, it's segregation," he said.

Rick Atkins, the city park and recreation director, said a decision was made when the park was built a decade ago not to allow BMX bikes because their metal pegs could potentially damage the concrete. He suggested to the bikers that if they can use plastic pegs instead, he'll bring it up to council again.

Pflugerville took the plastic pegs approach, allowing only such outfitted bikes at their Skate Park, according to its website. The city's Northeast Metropolitan Park actually accommodates riders, with a BMX racetrack. The other nearby skate park, Brushy Creek Sports Park in Cedar Park, bans bikes.

Read the full story at Austin American-Statesman >>

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