FACTS
| Project | Planning and construction of the “Kids Bike Village” Giswil |
| Client | Kids Bike Village Association Giswil |
| Location | Giswil, Switzerland |
| Period | February to May 2025, opening on 15 June 2025 |
| project Manager | Colin Leutenegger |
| Trail Crew | Colin, Gerry, Fabi, Eduardo |
OVERVIEW KIDS BIKE VILLAGE GISWIL
- 600m trails in total
- divided into three main courses in the difficulty levels green, blue and red with appropriate obstacles and black variants
- “Marmot” (Green) Trail Balance Bike, 3-5 years
- “Chamois” (Blue) 6-7 years
- Capricorn (Red) 8-12 years
- “Steinbock Pro” (black) 10-16 years
The Skill Center in Giswil – mountain biking on the doorstep for the next generation
The Kids Bike Village in Giswil demonstrates how a small, unused space can be transformed into an activity area for all cycling levels. The skill center, with a total of 600 meters of trails, is located on a plot of land measuring just 2,000 square meters next to the Giswil soccer field. The area was made available to the Kids Bike Village association by the municipality and planned by ALLEGRA in just a few weeks, and then implemented by our trail crew. Since mid-June, the place has been a meeting place for different generations, offering a variety of loops of varying difficulty.
From idea to implementation
In the area around Giswil, there were previously mainly trails for adults – there was a lack of inviting terrain for practice, especially for children and young people.You can’t criticize children for not doing anything if you don’t give them a platform to do so", says Marcel Fangi, initiator and director of the local mobile Mörlialp bike school. Because the children in the courses don't master basic cycling techniques, the idea of a practice facility grew. The Kids Bike Village now closes an important gap in mountain biking. The village complements existing facilities, such as the pump track, which can also be used by skaters, scooter riders, and bikers. Funding is provided by the association with the support of sponsorship and crowdfunding.
Smooth planning and sustainable construction in record time
In February, the association received the building permit, and the small bike park in Giswil was built within a very short time.This is a record pace and not to be taken for granted", says Marcel Frangi. The initiator finds it remarkable how smoothly the construction of the Bike Village has progressed. The ALLEGRA crew was able to obtain some of the materials for the construction from the tunnel construction in Kaiserstuhl. The trails, with varying levels of difficulty, are designed with natural terrain made up of gravel, rocks, roots, and obstacles. Visitors will find large and small jumps, hairpin bends, balance elements, a rock garden, and smaller drops, as well as berms and waves, on their bikes. To ensure safety, the drop areas have been cleared of sharp objects, for example. The routes are divided into different levels of difficulty and are signposted in accordance with the Kids Bike League standards. Ideal for practicing and improving technique, balance, and courage in an individual and playful way.
Here everything revolves around cycling – for all generations
The focus is on children ages 3-16, but adults are also welcome to gain confidence on their bikes and hone their skills. Admission is free for both local visitors and tourists. Anyone wishing to use the park for commercial purposes pays a fee, which is subsequently reinvested in maintenance. Future expansion of the area is not out of the question.
Big opening event and regular grill & chill evenings
The Kids Bike Village in Giswil officially opened on June 15th. And even then, it was evident how positively the new offering was being received by all generations. Kids patiently lined up to practice their jumps on the particularly popular jump line. In addition to a demonstration of the individual trails, with explanations of the obstacles and difficulty levels by the bike school, there was also a raffle with a dirt bike as the grand prize. Food trucks, music, and bike and helmet rentals rounded out the perfect day. From now on, not only training sessions from the local bike school will be held regularly in the village, but also grill & chill evenings for communal biking.
