Expanded ‘legal’ BMX and community park now under construction in northwest Oshawa

It all started with a semi-secret unsanctioned off-road bike park carved out of the bush pre-pandemic west of the airport by local BMX enthusiasts.

Construction is now well underway on Rose Valley Community Park, which will eventually include multiple children’s playground structures; benches, shaded rest areas and accessible washrooms; pickleball courts; accessible pathways, play structures and a strider bike path; a formal garden area; a pedestrian crossing at Deer Valley Drive; a new parking lot and – most importantly to the people who not-quite-legally got the idea off the ground – an expanded BMX bike park.

Riders had created a hand-made, large-scale course that featured jumps and dirt trails, which became quite popular (albeit unpublicized) for years before the City, citing legal issues, tore it down two years ago.

The ‘official’ bike park opened in the summer of 2022 and included a 5,000-square-metre dirt jump track featuring bermed corners, rolling step ups/downs, rollers, double rollers and tilted rollers and is divided into beginner, intermediate and advanced tracks.

Riders got an early chance to test the circuit out before the official opening and Oshawa Councillor Rick Kerr, who had who been working to get the track open since the old, unsanctioned track was demolished in 2020, was happy to see “cyclists of all ages” on the three levels of difficulty courses.

Oshawa council approved the new BMX park, located off Thornton Road, north of Rossland Road, in March 2021 and construction began on the first phase in the fall 2021.

Weather and the discovery of a possible archeological site delayed the build, though the site found last were the remains of settler homes, possibly from the 1800s and not archeologically significant.

Stage two of the bike park was planned to include a pump track, which does not require pedalling or pushing, but a ‘pumping’ action to maintain momentum. Pump tracks are good for all ages.

Riders are currently locked out of the BMX park and will have to wait to get back on the trails, however, as the park is now closed to facilitate the ongoing construction, with reopening expected in Summer 2025.

The development of the park is proceeding in three phases, with Phase 1 (new parking, playgrounds, pickleball courts, washroom, open green and pathway) getting started last fall. Phase 2a (formal garden area) and 2b – the expansion of the BMX park, including pump tracks and a mountain bike flow track – are now under construction.

All work is expected to be completed by next summer.

Rose Valley Community Park is located at 1095 Thornton Rd. North.