A group of volunteers stand in front of the track they service. Their dedication and hard work is what keeps Hire Park a place BMX riders love to come back to. In the front row, from the left, are Jen Hart, Michelle Marqui, Dan Rumple and Lindsey Brander. In the back row are Andy Hart, Joel Vorndran, Liza Arnold, John Brander, and Jason Coleman.

WARSAW — Much can happen in three decades and in the world of BMX, this time span has meant changes that are transformative to the sport. Hire Park BMX Track in Warsaw has survived this and is still a vibrant part of BMX’s sub-culture. It will celebrate its 30th anniversary this year.

“The technology of the sport has definitely evolved,” said Dan Rumple. As track director for the last 16 years, Rumple has seen plenty of changes. “The bikes have gotten better, the tracks smoother, jumps bigger. It’s gone from a side-lot sport to something you can get an education out of.”

A discernible part of this shift can be traced to the acceptance of BMX into the Olympics in 2008 and the 2011 merging of factions into a united national front for bicycle motocross, the USA BMX Foundation.

Although local residents may think of Hire Park as a niche park, in BMX circles it is considered one of the better tracks. “People from all over the world have visited here,” said Rumple. “We’ve had national champions, elite pros and Olympic riders come here, and you wouldn’t know. It’s all very under the radar.”

Originally a flatter track with fewer jumps and smaller corners, today Hire Park sports a wider variety of jumps as well as asphalt berms and a starting gate.

In 2015, it was the recipient of a grant from the K21 Health Foundation to create the asphalt starting gate and update the first straight. In 2016, a second grant was secured to finish the remaining straights. Construction will proceed before the weather dependent mid-May opening date.

Rumple attributes the track’s success to a dedicated group of volunteers. “Everybody is all hands on deck. It doesn’t matter who gets credit, the work gets done. We’ve got a great team … it is way past good,” he smiled. “None of us gets paid, we just love the sport. That is the kind of dedication BMX inspires.”

The park has loaner bikes available, as well as helmets and long-sleeved shirts for new riders to use. “There’s no reason to not try BMX,” said Rumple. “We tried to take away all of the hurdles for anyone interested in racing. All you need to do is to sign up.

“This is a sport where the whole family can participate, and I’d love for the public to visit to see if BMX is right for them,” he invited. “All ages are welcome: no one sits on the bench at Hire Park.”

The public can check out several special events in 2016. The Fat and Skinny Tire Festival has elected its mountain bike race to be held at Hire Park May 21. For this event, the park will open at 4 p.m. and is located at 806 E. Arthur St. Races start at 5:30 p.m.

Other dates to be announced are the 30th anniversary bash; Olympic Day, free entry and no license required; Race For Life, $10 entry and no license required; and the Bob Warnicke Scholarship Race. All Race For Life proceeds will benefit the Leukemia Lymphoma Society and all Bob Warnicke Scholarship Race proceeds will go to the scholarship.

More information can be found at www.hireparkbmx.com, by following the Hire Park BMX Facebook page, or by calling (574) 268-7433.

With the visibility of bicycle motocross today, it’s even possible to have college paid for with the sport. Warsaw resident Shannon Taylor currently has athletic BMX scholarship funding to attend Marian College and is part of the Marian University Knights Cycling Team. He’s shown here at a Hire Park race.