HOOVER – A ribbon cutting for Black Creek Mountain Bike Park on Wednesday, June 26, marked the latest addition to a long list of amenities for residents of the area.

The park, with its about 5 miles of trails designed and built specifically for mountain bikes, is located on 71 acres that was part of the Lake Wilborn development but has been donated to the city of Hoover as part of an agreement between the parties on the layout of the subdivision.

Black Creek Mountain Bike Park’s parking area is across Stadium Trace Parkway from the Lake Wilborn clubhouse, at 2000 Nunnally Pass.

Hoover Administrator Allan Rice called the ribbon cutting an “exciting day” and the first in a series of announcements as part of a public/private partnership between the city and developer Signature Homes.

Mayor Frank Brocato also discussed the city’s strong relationship with Signature Homes, a Hoover-based company led by Jonathan Belcher, a Hoover native and resident who also spoke at the ceremony.

“We talk about quality of life in Hoover, and these are the kinds of things that add unbelievable gratitude and quality of life to Hoover,” Brocato said and added that he thinks the area has “become the coolest place to live in the city of Hoover. “You’ve got everything you want out here.”

The next cooperative effort in the development will be a 125-acre park along the Cahaba River that will offer even more recreational opportunities.

“They just make it easy to work with them when it’s time to work through a serious project,” Rice said about Signature Homes.

Belcher said that when he graduated from Berry High School, Hoover Metropolitan Stadium was under construction and there were already trails located on the property that is now the site of the mountain bike park.

Belcher said he relied on Mike Enervold of Trailvisions LLC for the design of the park, which features multi-use, single-track trails for novice and intermediate riders; and the Cahaba River Society was also consulted about avoiding erosion.

Scott Willenbrock of the Hoover Bucs Mountain Bike Team said the group of 42 mountain bikers in grades six through 12 were excited to have a new home trail system in their backyard.

“For us, today is like Christmas times 10,” Willenbrock said.