CONTACT: Haley Ludwick, Trek Bicycle, Haley_ludwick@trekbikes.com
Newly established foundation to provide financial support to public mountain bike trail development and bicycle infrastructure projects
WATERLOO, Wisc., July 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — In its continued effort to help change the world by getting more people on bikes, Trek Bicycle has established The Trek Foundation to fund cycling infrastructure projects and help preserve land from development through the establishment of publicly accessible mountain bike trails.
“This world needs more people to ride bikes, and if that’s going to happen, they need great places for bikes that are safe and close to home,” said Trek Bicycle President, John Burke. “Our commitment to advocacy and to changing the world through cycling is long standing. The Trek Foundation will accelerate this commitment to invest in great places to ride and help build a future where everybody has access to experience the difference bicycles can make.”
While The Trek Foundation will fund projects across the U.S., at its inception, it is funding these initial projects:
Trek Trails at Verde Valley- Located at Oak Creek School in Cornville, Arizona, the Verde Valley trails will be home to the Verde Valley Wheel Fun (FUN) program. FUN organizes and operates after school mountain bike programs that include skills training for elementary school kids in the rural Arizona community. The program serves, in many cases, underserved children and provides them the opportunity to learn to ride a bicycle for the first time and discover the joys of mountain biking.
Trek Trails at Harmon Canyon- The Trek Trails at Ventura Land Trust’s 2,123-acre Harmon Canyon Preserve span 6 miles of mountain bike trails throughout the canyon, with plans to expand Trek Trails onto additional acreage in the future. The trails utilize property that is part of a county-designated wildlife corridor connecting the Ventura River and Santa Clara River watersheds and weave through oak groves, stream crossings, and provide breathtaking views of southern California mountain ranges, coastlines, and Channel Islands National Park.
Trek Trails at Eling’s Park- Located just west of downtown Santa Barbara, Eling’s Park is a 230-acre, privately funded non-profit park that contains—in addition to many other amenities—public mountain bike trails. The Trek Foundation’s contribution will help expand, restore, and preserve the park’s 9 miles of trails that provide easy, free, access for riders across a wide spectrum of skill and experience levels.
Trek Trails at Larsen Meadow- Located in Los Padres National Forest in the Santa Ynez mountains, the Larsen Meadow trails were destroyed by the Whittier wildfire of 2017. The Trek Foundation’s contribution will rebuild 10 miles of mountain bike trails and help preserve 250 acres that serve the community as a place where over 10,000 children visit every year to learn about natural sciences and experience the outdoors.
“The Trek Foundation’s contribution will be used to build the Trek Trails at the Oak Creek School bike skills park,” said Nayadin Persaud, Oak Creek School Principal and recent recipient of a foundation contribution. “Oak Creek School buildings are the only spaces large enough to host community events in Cornville and the school’s playground serves as a community park and safe area for families after school hours and on the weekends. Trek’s support will provide Cornville community members the opportunity to develop skills, through physical activity and mental focus, and promote their overall wellbeing.”
“Ventura Land Trust is grateful to be using Trek funds to add several miles of long-awaited and much-needed publicly accessible cycling trails at our 2,123 acre Harmon Canyon Preserve for the enjoyment of Ventura area residents and visitors,” said Derek Poultney, Executive Director of Ventura Land Trust. “Trek Trails are a tremendous benefit to the community as they offer a beautiful, peaceful, and local place to exercise and connect with nature, foster mental health and wellbeing, and nurture pride of community ownership – all free of charge at Ventura’s first large scale nature preserve. With Trek’s support, Ventura’s previously private beautiful hillside backdrop is now a huge community asset for residents and visitors alike.”
This is only the beginning of a long-standing commitment to invest in great places to ride and promoting a future with more bikes and more access for everyone. As The Trek Foundation actively pursues more locations, it has established specific criteria for trails and proposed projects. These criteria are designed to ensure the trails funded result in meaningful, long-lasting contributions to the community, its riders, and the planet.
To learn more about the Trek Foundation, visit the Foundation’s webpage. If you have a project that meets our criteria, submit it for consideration through this form.
About Trek Bicycle
Trek Bicycle is a global leader in the design and manufacturing of bicycles and related products. Trek believes the bicycle can be a simple solution to many of the world’s most complex problems and is committed to breaking down the barriers that prevent people from using bicycles more often for transportation, recreation, and inspiration.
