Mountain bike hill (agility course)

P. Meersschaert bikepark - Sports and games complex Houtvoort

In 2011, the municipality of Sint-Gillis-Waas started the reconstruction of the existing BMX hill at the Houtvoort sports and games complex.
BMX courses are currently clearly on the rise among young people, in mountain biking in general and in the Waasland in particular.

Surveys among the youth and a safety check showed that there was a need for a thorough refurbishment and reconstruction of the existing hill.
Moreover, there appeared to be opportunities in a vacant piece of land nearby.

For the redevelopment, the city council called in the help of MTBClinics.be, the Waasland MTB school and the local BMXers.
The aim of this collaboration was multiple, namely: to create an offer in which every BMXer can find satisfaction, to encourage young people to play sports and more specifically to mountain bike or BMX, to discourage wild riding, to offer a safe course and to provide an environment to organize initiations and clinics. Finally, this course will also serve as a meeting, start and finish point for other MTB and BMX activities.

The existing hill was completely turned over and reconstructed.
The vacant piece of land near the hill has been transformed into a new, technical section of the trail where MTBers and BMXers will find what they are looking for.
In the middle section, some skate equipment has also been incorporated.
The combination of both parts (inner part with jumps for experienced BMX riders, outer part for MTB), created a fun, renewed and challenging course.

The WaaslandMTB School is now (2012) entering its 5th year. Patrick Meersschaert was one of the founders of the school and is seen as its father in the Waasland region.
That is why the city council and the Waasland MTB school have renamed the BMXheuvel, as a tribute, to the P. Meersschaert bike park.

For more information about MTBClinics.be and the Waasland MTB school: Kris Hertsens, MTBClinics.be, 0497 37 35 09 or [email protected]

Sport Vlaanderen - mountainbike routes