Img 8842 Scaled E1750948992707 — The new park is located near the Oxford Civic Center (The Bama Buzz)

The City of Oxford has officially opened its latest recreational experience, cutting the ribbon on a new jump park for cyclists on Thursday.

The park features bicycle trails with a series of rollers, berms, tabletops and features designed to be ridden by using momentum instead of pedaling or pushing, mimicking a mountain biking experience.

It’s located near the Oxford Lake and Civic Center.

Oxford Jump Park

The city said the idea for this park started because of a lack of resources for the Oxford High School mountain biking team. The Oxford Mountain Bike Foundation, a non-profit in the area, also helped effort the project.

City officials said this project is part of a larger effort to bring more recreational infrastructure to the area and provide active opportunities for the city’s youth. The park aims to support skill development and offer a venue for both training and recreation.

The layout includes three distinct lines built for beginner, intermediate, and expert riders.

Mountain biking in Alabama

Oxford’s park comes on the heels of an announcement from earlier this year about more mountain biking opportunities in central Alabama.

As part of Innovate Alabama’s strategic mission to attract and retain highly skilled workers in Alabama, BUMP is leading a new initiative to elevate North Shelby County’s mountain biking infrastructure to International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) Silver Level Ride Center status.

According to the IMBA’s website, the Ride Center designation represents “recognition of large-scale mountain bike facilities that offer something for every rider.”

BUMP’s proposed ride center would create a comprehensive network of diverse riding experiences at four major area parks: