TRUCKEE, Calif. — The future of the Truckee Bike Park remains uncertain as the Truckee Donner Recreation and Park District (TDRPD) and the nonprofit Biking for a Better World (BBW) continue discussions over a renewed operating agreement. While recent amendments to their concession agreement mark progress, questions remain about the park’s long-term direction.

In April, TDRPD announced it would not extend BBW’s concession agreement beyond May 31, prompting a formal appeal. As a result, the contract was temporarily extended through Oct. 31. As of now, TDRPD has not made a final decision on whether to extend the agreement further. However, the district has amended the current concession agreement to address previous concerns.

“We’ve worked closely together to amend the contract,” said Sven Leff, TDRPD manager. “We aired our differences, worked through misunderstandings and gaps, and really came to the same page.”

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BBW co-founder Brooks Mcmullin also said communication between the two parties has improved in recent months.

“Since the meeting in April, we’ve been trying to rebuild our rapport with TDRPD,” Mcmullin said. “Communication has been moving in a positive direction.”

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Progress Made, but Concerns Linger

Mcmullin noted that BBW has not been involved in the park’s trail reconstruction for the 2025 season. Instead, TDRPD has brought in its own seasonal building team.

“The general public thinks we’re involved — but we’re not,” Mcmullin said.

He explained that Mcmullin and BBW partner Cortney Knudson have received complaints from riders about trail quality, technical issues, and prolonged closures — concerns that Mcmullin believes are being misattributed to BBW due to public assumptions about their current participation in trail reconstruction.

Leff said the district’s decision to use internal staff was driven largely by financial limitations. 

In response to the new contract amendment, which prohibited supplementing wages with bonuses, BBW submitted a proposal for seasonal operations based on a billable rate of $85 per hour, totaling $276,250. Previously, BBW had offset labor costs with donor-funded bonuses, but under the new terms, the proposal exceeded the district’s budget.

The district’s policy requires projects over $25,000 to go through a competitive bidding process. Due to time constraints, TDRPD opted to recruit and hire its own building team.

In past seasons, BBW was responsible for trail construction, responding to rider feedback, and ensuring all trails were open by the target date of July 4.

This year, five lines still remain closed.

Leff attributed the delayed opening to staffing recruitment challenges.

A Wave of Misinformation

TDRPD acknowledged a growing wave of misinformation circulating on social media following public discussions about the concession agreement.

“There are people who said we were going to turn the park into pickleball courts, condos, or simply close it,” Leff said. “It’s definitely not true.”

The district emphasized that there is no intention to remove or reduce the scope of the Bike Park. On the contrary, Leff reaffirmed the park’s importance as a community asset and credited BBW for its role in the park’s development and the strong public support it has generated.

“There is a real fear of losing something people care deeply about,” Leff said. “But we have no desire to take anything away from the community or minimize it. We want to ensure its long-term sustainability. We love the Bike Park — we’re proud of it.”

What If the Concession Agreement Is Not Extended?

If the concession agreement with BBW is not renewed, several paths may be considered.

First, TDRPD will evaluate whether a concession agreement is necessary at all.

“We would need to ask ourselves — is this essential? Do we continue with a concession model at all?” Leff said.

Only after answering that question, Leff added, could the district decide whether to extend BBW’s agreement, end it, or explore bringing in a new operator. If a new partner is considered, the process would involve reviewing the current contract, developing revised criteria, and publicly advertising for applicants.

“This is a decision we’ll need to make later in the season,” Leff said. “It’s too early to tell right now, as July and August are the busiest months of the year.”

The district anticipates making a final decision around Labor Day.

“I give Biking for a Better World credit for working with us — for understanding roles, expectations, and helping us understand what they’re capable of delivering,” Leff said.

BBW’s founders hope that collaboration remains the path forward.

“We’ve worked for over 16 years to create this community asset,” Mcmullin said. “We need to come together and collaborate — combine our strengths, our budgets, our fundraising capabilities — to provide the best product.”