Three or four years ago, the indoor opportunities for BMX were scarce. Mundelein, which had been a staple in the Illinois BMX scene had closed, as well as the legendary SCRAP Skatepark. The legendary and extremely BMX friendly Hub Skatepark had also closed its doors, with one option left for Chicago area BMXers to head to in the wintertime: Krush Skatepark.
For myself, Krush was a fairly appealing option. I was young, the park was about 20 minutes from my house, and the BMX nights fit well into my schedule. With a decent variety of ramps and the fact that the two BMX nights brought various scenes together, Krush was decently cool (in my eyes) to head to through the winter months. Sure, you had to take your pegs off and you couldn’t ride the bowl; these weren’t big concerns of mine then. I hadn’t experienced the wonders of ripping tranny yet, and was falling fast out of my grinding phase. I got to ride a fair amount of new obstacles that weren’t available in the region yet, and generally had an awesome time at the park.
Fast forward to present day. As a whole, BMX has gained more in respect and attention than it has in years. Corporate companies like Nike, Levi’s, Oakley, and countless others have thrown millions of dollars into our industry, and taken their team riders on incredible trips, thrown incredible events, etc. BMX-only skateparks have even popped up across the nation. Hell, even Andrew Reynolds’ Altamont brand supports BMX riders, and their parent company (Etnies) supports a full team of riders, several of whom have signature shoes with the company.
The rest of the world has gained respect for BMX riders. However, there are organizations that are stuck in the past and refuse to acknowledge and support BMX as a community and culture. Krush Skatepark has always been, and (in my eyes) will always be one of these organizations. From their incessant and small minded rules that apply ONLY to BMX riders to the park administration’s unfriendly nature towards BMX riders, Krush has time and time again proved that they have no interest in fully supporting the scene. Walk into Krush and you can feel how unfriendly the vibe is there if you’re associated with a BMX bike, I can guarantee it.
Three or four years ago, this was something that BMXers simply had to deal with. Where else were we going to ride? Four Seasons, while an incredible park, is a very hefty drive for Chicago area riders, costing both time and money to get to and from the park. A lot of BMXers are happy to make the drive and I say, if you can afford it, do it. Four Seasons has shown nothing but love, respect, and support for BMX bikes, and is a place any BMX rider should feel good about paying money to for a session.
Around Chicago, we have been very fortunate for Circus Skatepark in St. Charles. Though still in the early stages of its life, Circus has time and time again proven that they care about the BMX world and are committed to supporting it 100%. After hearing feedback and observing what was going inside their doors, Circus COMPLETELY revamped their layout and if you think it’s not completely BMX oriented, you must be crazy. From the box rhythm to the mini, this park is all BMX and it is truly incredible that Chicago has another option to ride, and even more incredible that they are behind BMX 100%.
Like I previously stated, Circus is simply another OPTION. YOU, as a BMX rider, have the OPTION of where you want to spend your money, and who you want to support. Do you want to support the “land of wedges” that makes you pay 12 bucks to not ride a killer bowl, or do you want to support a park that spent countless dollars revamping the place to make it more friendly towards BMX riders….in its second year? Or a park that gets built by a BMX rider (Four Seasons), or a park that is dedicated to people on bikes of all sorts?
Circus, Four Seasons, and the soon to be opening Ray’s MTB have all shown their commitment towards two wheels. Krush Skatepark has not. The facts are there. Please make a intelligent and thought out decision the next time you go ride.
