Who we are
We're the people you see at Bayfront every morning and evening: neighbors, retirees, parents, and dog owners from all over Mill Valley. We aren't a formal organization and nobody here is paid. We came together because the park keeps getting put on the table, and we want it kept as it is.

Where we stand
We support biking in Mill Valley, including a pump track. We oppose putting one at Bayfront because bikes and off-leash dogs create safety problems when they share a space, and this is the only off-leash area in town. We want the City to finish the improvements it approved in 2024 and work with us to keep the park in good shape.

A park that already serves everyone

The Pump Track Alliance describes its proposal as a free, inclusive, multigenerational space. Mill Valley already has one: the dog park.

The off-leash area at Bayfront is free, open from dawn to dusk every day of the year, and asks nothing of the people who use it except that they show up. You don't need to be fast, strong, or steady on your feet. On any given afternoon, you'll see a kid throwing a ball for the family dog, a parent with a stroller, someone who works from home and needs a break, and retirees from The Redwoods who walk over most days and sit on the benches that park users bought themselves.

For people who rent apartments or live without a yard, this is the only place their dog can run. For older residents, it's often the most reliable social contact they have all week. Regulars know each other's names and their dogs' names, and notice when someone stops coming.

A pump track serves riders. We think that's a good thing to build, and Marin already has one at Stafford Lake Bike Park in Novato. But a pump track can't be used by an 85-year-old with a cane, a person recovering from surgery, or someone who just wants to sit in the sun by the bay and talk to a neighbor. The dog park can, and it is, every day.

Replacing it would take a space that serves people from 8 to 80+ and hand it to a narrower group. We'd rather see Mill Valley add a pump track somewhere else and keep the park that already brings the town together.