Parks for everyone
Inclusive BMX track is highlight of park system’s growth
BY SUSAN BURGESS
The new 1,100-foot cement course for BMX riders at Tradition Regional Park, is one-of-a-kind. The unique track was designed to allow people of all physical abilities to use a variety of wheeled ride-ons — such as skateboards, adapted bikes, skates, scooters and even wheelchairs.
Designed in partnership with USA BMX, the governing body for the sport, it is the first all-adaptive, all-wheel BMX track in the world.
BMX, which stands for bicycle motocross, uses specially designed bicycles, usually with small wheels, to race on a track filled with hills, bumps and banked turns. The surface of the Tradition track — Smooth Ride-Coat Concrete — makes the terrain more stable and, thus, better suited to adaptive equipment.
Alongside the BMX track is what is known as a “pump” track: for bikes that are propelled by up and down body movement, instead of pedaling. A special beginner’s area, for teaching people as young as 2 years old to ride and obey traffic-safety rules, completes the track facility.
SPORTS CENTER
“Tradition Regional Park was created through a public-private partnership between Mattamy Homes, the City of Port St. Lucie and St. Lucie County,” explained Dan Grosswald, president of Mattamy Homes’ Southeast Florida Division. “This is part of ongoing efforts to create green spaces, urban parks and community-gathering areas, within Tradition, that anyone in the city can enjoy.”
Serving as a hub for active sports in western Port St. Lucie, the regional park offers four large, lighted baseball and softball fields for night games and tournaments. Additionally, there are four multi-use fields for soccer, football and lacrosse: three unlighted and one lighted.
There is a second phase planned, which awaits funding. No plans are specific, yet, but the city’s Tradition Park webpage says a large-scale, innovative play area for children, a hub for food trucks, an art-event space, a park for dogs, nature trails, observation areas, a disc golf course, and a canoe and kayak launch, are all under consideration.
“Building a great community requires a shared vision and a thoughtful approach to how people experience the place they call home,” Grosswald said. “Through collaboration with our city and county partners, along with continued investments in amenities — such as Tradition Regional Park, Stars and Stripes Park, Heart in the Park and the Tradition Nature Trail — we’re creating more opportunities for people to connect, stay active and enjoy the outdoors for generations to come.”
TOUCHING TRIBUTE
The Stars and Stripes Park in Tradition, honoring veterans and first responders, opened in June with a crowd of several hundred people in attendance. “It’s unique and really special to me,” said Port St. Lucie City Councilman David Pickett. He retired from the Army in 2015, after 32 years of service. Since then, Pickett has been an advocate for those who served: he began a newsletter featuring issues of interest to veterans and started the annual VetsFest at the MidFlorida Event Center.
The centerpiece of the park is a pair of lighted sculptures, which are exceptionally beautiful in the twilight and after dark. Two huge, glowing stars are inscribed with words from veterans and first responders, themselves. A wavy representation of the American flag is nearby. Another sculpture represents the solar system with a large sundial in the center. Its colorful, translucent inserts shift as the sun moves. Other installations show the size of — and the distance between — the planets.
“It’s a really cool park,” Pickett said. “There’s plenty of room to throw a baseball, have a picnic or enjoy the lake nearby. The quotes on the stars are really, really moving.”
Stars and Stripes, located two miles south of Tradition Regional Park at 12441 SW Village Parkway, took two years to build. The city and Mattamy Homes collaborated on construction. The park is open in the evenings, giving visitors the chance to see the lights in and around the sculptures.
The Stars and Stripes Park has a bonus for anyone who visits: it is adjacent to the entrance to the brand new Tradition Nature Trail, which winds through a peaceful oak hammock. The 3.5-mile trail is also accessible from the T-Trail, off Village Parkway, directly south of the Telaro community. Its shell and boardwalk pathway winds through areas landscaped with native plants and densely shaded oak hammock. It is open from dawn to dusk and will showcase a variety of native plantings. A second phase of the trail is planned.
See the original article in print publication
September, 2026
