Hesperia BMX revival
HESPERIA — After 10 years without one, Hesperia finally has a bicycle motocross park again.
The national anthem played as 21-year-old Brad Orescanin rode the length of the track carrying the American flag during the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the BMX Park at Live Oak Park in Hesperia on Friday. His father, Pat Orescanin, 54, and fellow riders Devan Searle, 20, and Gavin Rodriguez, 4, rode beside him.
The riders provided an example to onlookers that males and females of any age can participate in the sport of BMX racing.
Searle, a female rider who is a 2010 No. 2 World Champion, compared being involved in BMX as being part of a family where everyone knows everyone.
“This is where my heart is,” said track operator Dan Dalton, a lifelong Hesperia resident who began his love of BMX as a rider at Live Oak Park in 1983. “I wanted to bring it back so kids would have a place to have fun and enjoy.”
Dalton said the Hesperia Recreaction and Park District made the park possible along with support of volunteers and donations from local businesses. The track opens to the public Saturday from 4 to 9 p.m. Racing starts April 13.
Pat Orescanin said he was excited for the return of the sport to Hesperia and volunteered to help.
“BMX is the heartbeat of Hesperia in my opinion,” Pat Orescanin said.
A variety of officials gathered for the ceremony, including Councilman Russ Blewett; Hesperia Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Yvonne Woytovich; San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Hesperia Station Chief Nils Bentsen; Dawn Sikes, field representative for Assemblyman Tim Donnelly; Rebecca Tennison, field representative for Sen. Steve Knight; and members from the Hesperia park district’s board of directors.
Recreation supervisor Don Webb said the projected budget for the track was $41,000 but they only had $15,000.
Dalton and others, such as Mayor Pro Tem Thurston “Smitty” Smith, were able to secure donations, which helped to get the track completed, Webb said. He also said volunteers helped shape, pack, rake and brush the track after someone from USA BMX came in and set out the track specifics.
Jason McGuire, editor and photographer of Pull Magazine for USA BMX, said “the big thing the sport does is it keeps kids doing something active, safe and fun.”
The park offers two tracks — one for more seasoned or older riders and a separate track for beginners. Dalton said children as young as 18 months old can learn the sport by riding a strider bike on the strider track.
“People don’t understand that it’s not just a venue for kids to ride a bike, it changes live,” said Mike Lampignano, who operated a track at Live Oak in the ’90s.
Mayor Bill Holland said he hopes the future will bring riders and families from different areas and “they’ll see what a jewel Hesperia is, come to ride and decide to stay.”
Source: AMY ZILLNER, For the Daily Press, vvdailypress.com/news/hesperia-39745-bmx-revival.html