Bike park has grand opening

Official opening of Lamont bike park

BY JANA SEMENIUK

The new Lamont Bike Park Pump Track officially opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Sept. 10 conducted by Lamont Mayor Bill Skinner, Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville MLA Jackie Armstrong Homeniuk, and Lamont Town Councillor Dave Taylor.

“We combined our Picnic in the Park event with the ribbon cutting ceremony,” said Taylor by email. “It’s a community celebration!”

It took Taylor and a small group of enthusiastic parents more than 10 years to raise the $40, 000 needed to build the park. In addition to fundraising events, generous donations came in from companies anxious to help out including a $12,500 donation from Pembina Pipelines.

“It’s great that companies like Pembina can help a small town to have a bike park like this,” said Pembina supervisor Ernie Overeem who attended the event with his daughter Madison.

In addition to free hotdogs, games and beverages, bike enthusiasts also had the opportunity to get free bike repairs courtesy of bike mechanic and shop manager Danny Tan who was set up on-site from Winner’s Way Source for Sports in Fort Saskatchewan. A bike enthusiast himself, Tan was impressed with Lamont’s Bike Park Pump Track.

“It’s nice and short and a good introduction to riding other trails,” he said. “Jackson Goldstone started on a little track like this.”

Jackson Goldstone, from Squamish B.C., began riding at the age of four. He is currently 17 and an international downhill biking champion.

Meanwhile, Taylor added that the company contracted to build the 3,000 square meter park

Lamont Mayor Bill Skinner (centre) cuts the ribbon held by Councillor Dave Taylor (L) and Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville MLA Jackie Armstrong Homeniuk (R) while children wait to use Lamont's new Bike Park Pump Track. Photo: Jana Semeniuk had never worked in a town as small as Lamont with a population of nearly 1,800.

“The company told me that to date, they had not built a park in a town as small as Lamont,” said Taylor. “They did a great job and were finished building it in two weeks.”

In terms of any future additions to the bike park, Taylor said he is open to the possibility.

“If we get more people out here using it, we will build more stuff,” he said smiling.

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In loving Memory of Leonard “Len” Pryatel

September 2, 1945 ~ September 2, 2021

A walk through viewing service and lunch was held Sunday September 5, 2021 for family and friends at the Lamont Rec Centre. A private graveside service was held and officiated by Rev. Debbie Brill. Leonard passed peacefully on his 76th birthday, and is survived by his loving wife of 50 years, Sheron, his daughters Laura (Ryan), and LeeAnn, two grandsons Jared and Dustin, one sister Vivian (Pete) Maltesen of Nanaimo B.C., one brother Alois (Debbie) Pryatel of Lamont, A.B., and numerous nieces and nephews, family and friends. Leonard was predeceased by his parents Frank and Ann Pryatel, and one sister Violet Bjork. Donations can be made to the Lamont Health Care Centre in memory of Leonard Pryatel.