There are good things happening all around us! ORA is proud to be deeply rooted and involved in the Coulee Region, getting more people outside and enhancing our trails and recreation spaces. While we can’t directly support every great effort out there, we can help share the good news about what’s happening around us. Our Community Board is just that –  A landing place for sharable happenings in our area.

To land your project or event on this page, complete the request form at the bottom and one of our fine folks will approve a space for your, or reach out for further information.

I am seeking grants and donations to purchase the composite features, establish excavation/clearing, and hire an experienced and qualified trails contractor. You have no idea how much it would mean to have your support. Because the project benefits the school, donations should be made to ISD300 or the Lancer Booster Club. Larger grant monies can be used to directly pay American Ramp Company and/or trail contractors.

 

If you’d like to donate, Make checks payable to isd300 or The Lancer Booster club. Send checks to 703 south 11th street, La Crescent, MN 55947.

La Crescent Bike Skills Park

Phase 1 of the project is complete (Dec 2024), and consisted of a site analysis and concept planning & design. I received a MN SHIP grant that allowed me to hire IMBA (the International Mountain Biking Association) to do all of Phase 1. As a result, I now have a thoughtfully designed skills park that includes a variety of options for different skill levels. There is a condensed area allowing for sections to be re-ridden multiple times or tied together in multiple ways. This will provide multiple levels of difficulty in one place, allowing families and groups to ride together. All features are optional which also allows for adaptive biking as well. The features will be composite, and the trails will weave through the natural setting.

The Bike Skills Park will be located south of Lancer Blvd, behind ABLE, on school district property. The Bike Skills Park will be free and open to the public. Bike skills parks provide a safe and enjoyable environment for people to learn to ride, learn balance and strength gain. A bike skills park is a collection of bike-optimized features that allow kids and adults to explore their abilities and have fun in an easily repeatable environment. As they navigate the structures, they improve their balance, coordination, strength and bike handling skills — plus they’re outdoors and off their screens. They help kids improve social skills and confidence. These bike parks support a wide age range and encourage regular visits from riders to whole families. Bike parks and trails create a sense of belonging and ownership, significantly improving the quality of life in the community. Overall, they are a valuable resource.

-Tommy Riffe, 9th grader at La Crescent-Hokah Middle School

See Tommy's story on IMBA's Site

If you’d like to have your community event or project on our website, please send over the bacsic details using the form below, and we’ll take a look! We choose to help showcase other happenings that align with our mission of getting more people outside. We reserve the right to approve or deny requests at our choosing.