"The Doug" is a motocross and ATV park located in Harrison Ohio. It opened in 2009 and is named after Doug Dunaway, a Motocross rider who died tragically in an automobile accident in 1987. The track features 3 table top jumps, several rollers, banked turns and a double double. All this runs through a beautiful wooded terrain that allows riders to bypass any jump.
What is happening to "The Doug"?
After the new River Walk Park development was started changes were made to the motocross park that removed the junior track and moved the parking lot further south on Willow Lane. A small group formed to make sure there was a voice from both parties to come up with reasonable solutions for both motocross and river walk portions to co-exist. Both parks were closed on September 26, 2016 to allow for the completion of stage one improvements to both parks, including repairs and renovations to the track.
Since the closure of the Doug, none of the promised renovations have occurred, The city is currently evaluating the compatibility of the motocross park and the new river park. The city has hired the EDGE Group landscape consultants to help with the design of the river park and evaluate the compatibility of the two parks. This result of this evaluation may mean the closure of the motocross park.
We have proposed three short-term goals with regards to the motocross park:
The motocross park remain open for a minimum of two years to assess it's impact and future planning.
The impact of the motocross park on the river park be measured in an objective manner.
That the economic impact be measured objectively by an expert in the field, such as Marshall University.
Why does it need to be saved?
The MX Park is a great addition to the community. It's the only free and open to the public MX and ATV park within hundreds of miles. The park has been around since 2009 and despite no city support has kept an active following among riders.
The park has a positive economic impact to Harrison businesses as riders travel from hundreds of miles to ride.
What are the future plans?
This group, with the help of Riding Forward, has developed a plan to rebuild the junior track, expand the parking and rehab the adult track. This group would also perform regular maintenance to the track. This would all be achieved through volunteer labor and grants at no cost to the city.
What is the "The Doug's" history?
The track began when a class of 3rd Harrison Elementary students wrote letters to former mayor Joel McGuire in 2009. Every boy in that class asked the mayor if they could have a place to ride their dirt bikes. Within a week the mayor was working with Joe Day of Western Powersports and Kevin Orschell of MotoXtremes to design a build a Motocross and ATV track on property south and west of the the wastewater treatment plant on Willow Road. With their gracious donation of time and effort the Doug Dunaway Motocross Track opened in the fall of 2009.
Over the years, Joe Day has helped make several improvements and expansions to the park, the most recent a rolling section extending the adult track northward along Willow lane.
