Twin City Optimist Club is raising funds to build a bicycle playground at Larry G. Crites Memorial Park in partnership with city of Festus.
The project will be built on 1.7 acres near Crites Drive in the park, and it will feature four bicycle tracks ranging in skill levels.
The playground will also include a track around the perimeter, benches with shade, a picnic table, water fountain and a tool set.
Becky Francis, Twin City Optimist Club member and project chair, said the idea came to her a few years ago when she was taking a walk in the park and she saw parents teaching their toddler how to ride a bike.
“About 10 or 20 feet in front of them was a woman walking with a cane who was unsteady on her feet,” Francis said. “I said to myself, ‘Those kids need a place of their own.’ And that’s what started it.”
Afterward, she went to the Festus Parks Board to pitch the idea of an area where children can learn how to ride their bikes with tracks ranging in skill level.
The board suggested the Optimist Club take on the project, with the city assisting.
Each track featured in the playground would have varying skill levels.
The first track would be the “Learn to Ride Your Bike” section and would include stop signs and turns so children could learn the rules of the road safely.
The next level up would be the “Skills Track” which would have undulations, a tunnel, a small bridge and pylons to weave through.
This track would have these distractions to help prepare riders for obstacles they might face.
The third level would be a “Pump Track” which would have more undulations and curves.
The fourth track would be for intermediate riders and would include more undulations and curves.
Carroll Metzger, former president of the local Optimist Club and a bicycle playground committee member, said the playground wouldn’t be like a skate park.
This playground would only be for kids learning to ride a typical bicycle.
“A bicycle park is more than about just riding and jumping,” she said. “It’s about building stronger, healthier communities — a place where kids can thrive.”
Motorized or battery-powered vehicles would not be permitted in the playground.
Katie Huck, a bicycle playground committee member, said the bicycle playground will aim to promote reducing screen time, getting outside and having more physical activity.
“The bicycle playground will build upon these efforts by creating a permanent place where children can develop bicycle skills, learn about safety, stay active and simply enjoy being kids,” Huck said.
Also around the playground, there would be signs and QR codes giving kids and parents rules and tips regarding bicycles and the playground.
This could include rules of the road, safety items or how to fix parts of a bicycle.
The playground project will be completed in phases once money is raised to begin.
It is estimated the project will cost about $700,000 to complete.
The Twin City Optimist will be holding fundraising efforts to raise money for the project in addition to apply for various grants around the state to potentially help fund the project.
On Oct. 4 and 5, the Twin City Optimist Club will hold a pickleball tournament at Jokerst Memorial Pickleball Park in Festus.
It is $40 to register, and all money will benefit the bicycle playground project.
T-shirts will also be available for purchase at the event.
For more information on future events, go online to twincityoptimist.org.
To donate to the project, call 314-270-2621 or email treasurer@tcaoptimist.org.