Four months after the soft opening of the Turlock BMX Bike Park — and after local riders and the City of Turlock Municipal Services Department came to a compromise on design changes — the park had its official grand opening on Saturday.

Mayor John Lazar dedicated the park — located on the corner of Paseo De Leon and Panorama Avenue — and unveiled a commemorate plaque that lists the names all of the community and business sponsors. The Turlock City Council allowed the bike park construction under the agreement that volunteers and bike park users would do most of the building and maintenance on the jumps and fund $10,000 of the project. The City earmarked an additional $15,000 for the project and supplied work crews to help with construction of the park.

“In these days of difficult financial times, it’s important to have community support,” Lazar said.

The park opened on Dec. 19, 2009, just in time for winter break for local students. However, BMX riders said they were not impressed by the park on opening day. Several of the jumps lacked a proper takeoff lip — the edge of the jump that riders use to launch themselves into the air. Without a lip they were just dirt mounds. City crews organized another work day at the request of the bike park users.

On Saturday, riders were happier with the reconstructed jumps.

“This is what I was going for,” said Matt Nascimento, owner of Bikeworks and an organizer for the bike park project. “It’s still a compromise… but I’ll take it.”

To contact Kristina Hacker, e-mail khacker@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2004.