Plan would flatten the Woodland Park dirt jumps to build a JV football field, but BMX and MTB riders are fighting back

Concept test fit" for the fields from Seattle Public Schools. I added the Dirt jumps" label, which can be seen underneath the edge of the proposed soccer field.

It sounds like the plot of a 1980s cult classic you rented 20 times on VHS from Blockbuster, but it's real. Seattle Parks and Seattle Public Schools are looking for a site for a football practice field, and their current Option A is to flatten the beloved and well-used dirt jumps in lower Woodland Park that have been community-maintained for at least 35 years. But the local BMX riders are not taking this lying down and are fighting back.

Greenlake BMX sounded the alarm on Instagram, posting an online petition to save the dirt jumps and inviting everyone to come out to the dirt jumps for a Bike Jump Jam Friday (August 22) from 5 to 9 p.m. to show that you support saving them.

From Greenlake BMX via Instagram.

The Track and Athletic Field for Lincoln High School project is a Seattle Public Schools initiative that would use Seattle Parks property. The location has not been officially selected yet, and there will be a full public outreach process in the fall (though I'd say it is starting now). No decisions on location have been made," said SPS spokesperson Tina Christiansen in an email statement. No plans have been created. Some initial test fit drawings have been made to see what might be possible and to provide a starting point for discussions." They are planning the first public meeting for October 15 at 5:30 p.m., though the location is to be determined. If outreach and planning go smoothly (which they will not), the soonest construction would begin is summer 2027.

Lincoln is the only high school in the district that does not have a proper football field or track and field facilities. Currently, students have to scrounge up field time from other schools like Ingraham High School and then bus there and back. As a result, students end up with some undesirable afterschool practice times that create a barrier to participation in sports.

Though there is a large parking lot directly adjacent to Lincoln High School, the district says there is not enough space on the Lincoln site to add the facilities, so they are looking to nearby park spaces that they can renovate. Last year, the district proposed turning the Wallingford Playfield into a football field, but that plan drew a lot of pushback because it would transform existing open and fully public park (though also very lumpy) space into a something more dedicated to school and sport use, so the district dropped the idea. The next option would be to squeeze one more field into the Lower Woodland Park complex.

The project is funded by a 2022 voter-approved levy. The first piece of the project will happen sooner and is not likely to be controversial. SPS would upgrade the existing track around the north soccer field and add facilities for shot put, discus practice, long jump and some others in a space that is currently a grass field near the batting cages (the cages will remain). But the second part is where things get very difficult.

Football fields are really big (about the size of a football field) so finding a place for one is very difficult. The Lower Woodland Park playfields are already one of the larger complexes of open field play surfaces in the city, featuring a baseball field, four softball fields and two soccer fields in addition to a running track, 10 tennis courts, a skate park and the dirt jumps. If you were to try to jam a football field into the area without reducing the number of other fields, then the options are very limited. The current Option A would rotate the south soccer field sideways and move it a bit to the west to make space for a new football field adjacent to the east. It all barely fits, except that the soccer field's west sideline would then sit right on top of the dirt jumps and would also cover up a path that many people use when biking or running through the park. It would also pen in the skate park and kill the synergy between the dirt jumps and the skate park. Another downside is that the existing soccer field can be used either as one large field or, as is very common, two 75% fields. The realigned field would add a new full-size field, but the undersized fields would likely be more like 60% fields. So it would be better for official play but possibly worse for casual or pickup sports.

By far the biggest negative impacts of Option A are on the dirt jumps and the path. The DIY dirt jumps could hardly be more out of the way than they are now, tucked into a skinny space between a steep wooded hillside and the road-turned-path that crosses the park from north to south. There are big jumps for experts and small pump tracks for kids and beginners. It feels like there is no way this otherwise undesirable sliver of park space could possibly be put to better use than these dirt jumps, which is probably why they have been there since 1987 at least. It's going to be very difficult (perhaps impossible) to sell folks who use, love and maintain these things that are squeezed up against the side of a hill that they need to make way for yet another normie sport playfield. I swear I have seen this movie before, and it had a sick soundtrack.

Of course, instead of pushing west into the dirt jumps, they could instead push east into the endless parking lot along Green Lake Way N. The pushback on that would be, well, the loss of parking. But a beloved and active park use is more important than parking for cars, especially when there is so much parking already. Could the parking get full during busy times? Sure. So what? Our city is full of places to park cars, but we have almost no places to ride BMX jumps. Parks are more important than parking, and I highly suspect the solution to this whole problem lies with the decision-makers at SPS and Parks accepting this as true. They should not view car parking as mandatory but the dirt jumps as expendable.

Option B test fit, from SPS.

The good news is that there is another option. Option B would place the field on an almost never used gravel parking lot at 50th and Aurora. The pros are that it would activate that space and would not displace another park use. There are almost always paved parking spots open in the adjacent Woodland Park loop that are easier to access, which is why this gravel lot rarely ever gets use except during rare special events like big cross-country races. The downside is that Option B is likely to be much more expensive and would require cutting down some trees.

A test fit image from SPS shows the field with a parking area along NE 50th Street. It's always parking! This would push the field further north into the hillside, which would displace yet another well-used biking and walking path and also necessitate ugly and expensive retaining walls. These walls are a big part of the expected high price. Retaining walls a ridiculously expensive, and the price climbs wildly with every extra inch of height (this is also why underground parking garages make new apartment buildings so damn expensive).

However, what if they didn't build that parking or squeezed some extra parking along the loop road? There's definitely some space for more. Then the field could shift closer to 50th and away from the hill. Tree loss would still be an issue.

Though it is not listed on the project website, a third option would be to go back to the drawing board and try to find some other location for the Lincoln practice and JV football field. The folks who fought the plan for Wallingford Playfield came up with a list of 8 idea, though they all have downsides and some of them would be undersized and therefore not appropriate for a JV game (but could be good enough for practice). They could also simply extend the soccer field to make it football sized. This would add a competing use for already high-demand field time, but it is surely the cheapest option. That might draw the ire of soccer players, though. But the south soccer field is very often divided into two 75% fields to accommodate rec-level soccer games and practices, so what if they built two 75% soccer fields up at the 50th and Aurora parking area to offset the loss of recreational soccer use on the south field? There's already enough parking up there for that kind of use, and my rough measurements suggest they might fit within the existing gravel lot area with minimal tree loss or impact to the hill and paths.

Another option could be to turn the 50th and Aurora area into a big bike park, though the lack of terrain that makes the lot appealing for a sports field is actually a detriment when making a BMX or mountain biking space. The hillside and long downhill by the existing dirt jumps are an important part, and it would take a significant investment to build terrain on a flat space. It is more than reasonable for dirt jump users to request than any displacement of the dirt jumps be replaced with something equal to or greater than what is there today, and SPS and Parks should not expect to offer anything less than that.

But come on, folks, don't bulldoze the dirt jumps. This is a genuine and valuable park use that we need to support as a city. Bike sports are important, too. If SPS thought the Wallingford Playfield opposition was strong, I don't think they're ready for a couple generations of Seattle BMX and mountain bike folks to get mobilized. I don't envy folks at SPS who have to find a football field of space in our city. That's not an easy job.

Here's the text of the Greenlake BMX petition:

Help Us Preserve Seattle's Only DIY Bicycle Jump Park
The beloved Greenlake BMX dirt jumps are under threat. After 35+ years of community dedication, Seattle Parks plans to replace this unique space with a practice football field by the fall of 2027.

Why These Jumps Matter
Since 1989, the Public Bicycle Dirt Jumps in Lower Woodland Park have been entirely volunteer-built and maintained-making them the oldest and only DIY bicycle jump park in greater Seattle. This isn't just a collection of dirt mounds; it's a living piece of Seattle's biking heritage.

What makes this place special:

• Inclusive by design: Built for all skill levels, from toddlers on balance bikes to professional riders
• Community-driven: Thousands of volunteer hours have shaped every jump and feature
• Globally recognized: Riders from around the world have visited and contributed to this space
• Official partnership: We've been a recognized Friends of" group with Seattle City Parks since 2013

The Threat
Seattle Parks plans to construct a practice/JV football field where our jumps currently stand. While we understand the need for sports facilities, this decision would eliminate:

• The only revered DIY bike park in Greater Seattle
• 35+ years of community investment and craftsmanship
• A unique space that serves riders of all ages and abilities
• An irreplaceable piece of Seattle's BMX & MTB culture

Beyond Just Bike Jumps
This change affects the entire Lower Woodland Park ecosystem. The proposed football field would impact:

• Soccer fields and activities
• Cross-country running tracks
• Joggers and recreational users
• The adjacent skatepark
• Bicycle commuters using park pathways

Our Vision
We're not asking to stop progress-we're asking for thoughtful planning that preserves community spaces and resources. Seattle needs places where kids, teens, and adults can:

• Stay active and engaged
• Learn new skills in a supportive environment
• Connect across age groups and backgrounds
• Experience the joy of creative, self-directed play
• Take Action

Please sign this petition to show Seattle Parks that the Greenlake BMX dirt jumps matter to our community.

Stay connected: Follow @greenlakebmx on Instagram for updates and community events (typically Fridays 5-9PM).

Spread the word: Share this petition with fellow riders, parents, and anyone who believes in preserving community-built spaces.

Together, we can ensure that future generations have access to the same opportunities for growth, creativity, and pure bike-riding joy that have defined this special place for over three decades.

The jumps aren't just dirt-they're dreams, dedication, and community spirit made manifest. Help us keep them alive.