Bikers working on rebuilding their bike park following its destruction by vandals are back on track.
Reconstruction of the park is almost complete following help and support from the community.
A Williams Lake family who heard about their cause donated $500 to the group.
Tiffany Simard and her husband Ron Myhre learned about the vandalism at a Celebration of Life organized for Tyler Tenning on May 7.
Tenning, a student from Williams Lake, was killed in a rollover on April 29 and the 100 Mile House bikers have been working overtime to reconstruct their park in time for a memorial jump jam for the 17-year-old on May 19.
Simard’s son, Aiden Myhre, would often ride at the 100 Mile park with Tenning. He helped organize the Celebration of Life in Williams Lake and invited the 100 Mile bikers up for the event.
Simard met the 100 Mile group at the celebration where they told her about what they were doing. She went home and read about what had happened
“We were heartbroken. I cried. I said we have to do something,” says Simard. “We wanted to do this in memory of Tyler because he liked to ride there.”
The family donated the money through Timber Mart in 100 Mile House.
“My husband and I were just so moved by how great the boys are. We just want to give them a hand.”
Simard says she wishes they could do more.
“They’re doing something productive and I’m blessed and can afford to help.”
The young men say the donation is incredibly useful.
“It will help so much for tools and wood,” says Dalton Anderson, who helps to manage and maintain the park.
The group is planning on building a tool box to keep their tools safe.
Anderson says himself and about five to six others have been working on the jumps from about 1 p.m. until 9 p.m. almost daily since they first found out about the destruction on May 5.
“We’re upsizing everything and making sure everything is up to par,” he says.
The community has been quite helpful, says Anderson.
The bikers say they have also received donations from the Bicycle Cafe in Kamloops and heard from others, including a group at the Mile 108 Elementary School, who want to help.
It means “so much,” says Anderson. “It’s awesome.”
While he had been stressed about fixing the park in time for the memorial jam, he says it’s now “pretty much good to go.”
Simard says she hopes the donation will help.
“Maybe this will spur something and the community will get on board.”
See the original story here: www.100milefreepress.net/news/100-mile-house-bike-park-vandalized/