ST. GEORGE — Vandals damaged the BMX bicycle racetrack in Virgin, prompting the cancellation of this week’s scheduled races.
Track operator Adam Pace told St. George News when he and fellow organizers showed up Wednesday to prepare for the races, they found broken light bulbs, damaged electrical fixtures, rocks and bricks thrown all over the track, as well as missing signs and banners.
Pace estimated the total damage to between $800 and $1,000.
“The kids were pretty upset,” Pace said. Instead getting to race, they ended up pitching in and helping clean up the mess left by the vandals.
“Everyone stepped up, all the volunteers stepped up,” Pace said. “We cleaned all the glass up and kind of put everything back together.”
“Right now we’re just waiting to see if we can get electricity back out there,” he said.
Event organizers are hoping to have the track back in operating condition in time for next week’s races, which Pace said are going to be held on Tuesday instead of Wednesday because of the Independence Day holiday.
Registration and warmup for Tuesday’s races are scheduled start at 7:30 p.m., with races going from 8:30-9:30 p.m.
On a typical week, Pace said approximately 40 or 50 riders compete in each week’s bicycle races, with family members and other spectators filling the grandstands.
“Last week we had 59 racers, so we’ve been growing,” Pace said.
A GoFundMe account set up for donations to help repair the track had raised more than $900 by Saturday. Pace said in addition to replacing the damaged lights and equipment, the money will also go toward upgraded security measures, possibly even a motion-activated trail camera.
Although the track does have liability insurance, as required by sanctioning body USA BMX, for injuries and mishaps that happen during events, Pace said the costs of repair and replacing items due to the vandalism will have to be funded out of pocket.
Most of the track’s operational costs are funded by the race fees paid by participants, he said.
“In the five years that we’ve been running it, we know that things like this are going to happen, so we put a little bit of money aside,” Pace said. “But this one was just so big and damaging, we felt like we needed to see if a GoFundMe would work.”
Pace said he has already gotten “a flood of texts and phone calls” from people willing to donate.
Sgt. Nate Abbott of Washington County Sheriff’s Office said investigators are not sure when the vandalism occurred.
“We don’t have it narrowed down to a specific time other than it happened within the last several days,” Abbott told St. George News Thursday evening. “It could have been anytime during that six-day period from the last race to when they showed up yesterday to get ready for the race. That’s when they noticed it.”
“It is an active, open investigation, but we don’t have any specific leads or suspects at this point,” Abbott added. “We’re looking for any information that we can gather that will help us in tracking them down and finding out who did this.”
Anyone with information about the incident may call Washington County Sheriff’s Office information line at 435-656-6644 or send an email to [email protected]. Track operator Adam Pace can be reached at 702-275-9651 or via email at [email protected]. Check the Virgin BMX Facebook page for additional updates.
Ed. note: St. George News has not verified information provided in connection with fundraising accounts mentioned in this article and does not assure that monies deposited to the accounts will be applied as described. Those considering contributions are advised to consult with their own professionals for tax advice and investment risks.
Click on photo to enlarge it, then use your left-right arrow keys to cycle through the gallery.
Missing sign at front gate is part of vandalism damage at Virgin BMX track, Virgin, Utah, June 27, 2018 | Photo courtesy of Adam Pace, St. George News Bike rack hanging from flagpole is part of vandalism damage at Virgin BMX track, Virgin, Utah, June 27, 2018 | Photo courtesy of Adam Pace, St. George News Broken light fixture is part of vandalism damage at Virgin BMX track, Virgin, Utah, June 27, 2018 | Photo courtesy of Adam Pace, St. George News Broken glass from light fixture is part of vandalism damage at Virgin BMX track, Virgin, Utah, June 27, 2018 | Photo courtesy of Adam Pace, St. George News Broken light fixture is part of vandalism damage at Virgin BMX track, Virgin, Utah, June 27, 2018 | Photo courtesy of Adam Pace, St. George News Generator damaged by vandals at Virgin BMX track, Virgin, Utah, June 27, 2018 | Photo courtesy of Adam Pace, St. George News Electrical switch panel damaged by vandals at Virgin BMX track, Virgin, Utah, June 27, 2018 | Photo courtesy of Adam Pace, St. George News List of damages documented by track officials as having occurred during recent vandalism incident at Virgin BMX track, Virgin, Utah, June 27, 2018 | Photo courtesy of Adam Pace, St. George News
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“Bike rack hanging from flagpole”
Bike rack hanging from flagpole, ya say? Well, that pretty much tells us who done this –it was those darn anti-mormon apostate wiccan devil worshiper atheists!
In all reality, it was likely “youths”. Better get a gofund going for a razor wire fence for the whole shebang, so it’ll be youth-proofed. 😉
Most likely “youths” and a description of them would include effeminate, inept, and the result of parents who should have put them with those at the border; not assuming they are latino at all, most likely sissy boy whites.
yep, most likely white or latino, high school age “troubled youths” from “Hurricun”
I bet you did it !
<3 Dumpy
Why? What’s the motive? What do they have against a BMX racetrack? Ohhhhhhh maybe there mommy and daddy couldn’t afford BMX bikes for them and they are taking it out on the world. Poor little spoiled rotten crybabies, get over yourself. Stupid, stupid, stupid
And add so wireless security cameras so you can be alreted and see who the heck is doing this, in case it ever happens again…the Razor wire is a great thought too…southern Utah is changing very fast
Find the perpetrators and publish their parents names in the paper! Parents…. Get a grip on your kids!!
Time for this tracks managers to invest in some fencing and security cameras with alarm triggers.
I’m sure I can relate this to our border.
Secure the border just like the bmx bike racetrack needs to be secured from trespassers.