BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (BRAIN) — QBP has donated $100,000 to the Trailhead at Theodore Wirth Park, a new trailhead and welcome center near downtown Minneapolis that will give inner-city youth and adults access to mountain biking and skiing on professionally built trails.
Located in a 759-acre area that connects north and south Minneapolis, the planned adventure and welcome center is the result of collaboration between the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board and The Loppet Foundation. The Loppet Foundation is the leading endurance-based outdoor activity organization in Minneapolis, running Nordic ski races in the winter and hosting Fast Kids programs in the summer.
Fast Kids is based on a Trips for Kids mountain biking program that was started in 2006 by QBP and cycling advocate Gary Sjoquist. It was handed over to the Loppet Foundation in 2010. Since taking over, the foundation has put nearly 10,000 kids through its mountain biking and Nordic skiing programs.
The multimillion-dollar building at the trailhead will have bike and ski retail and rentals, a café, a learning center, an expansive deck overlooking two skills parks (a Strider-level park as well as an advanced park) and a cyclocross venue. Additionally, a four-mile "event trail" will host races by the Minnesota High School Cycling League and trail running groups. Several fat bike trails, with nighttime lighting and man-made snow, will also allow winter cyclists to enjoy the site.
"QBP was looking for a project to donate to that could benefit a community with mountain biking and outdoors as a central focus. It's fantastic that such a great opportunity that accomplishes so much just happened to be located near downtown Minneapolis," said QBP founder and chairman Steve Flagg.
"It's unheard of to find a mountain bike park like this in an urban area that is not only accessible to students from 10 nearby schools, but accessible via bike paths as well. This will be great for kids involved in National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) and families throughout the city including our own QBP families," he added.
