Ramblers push for velodrome

THE proposed multi-use velodrome will "be a place everyone can be proud of", says Ramblers Cycling Club's chairman Gavin Bush.

The group has been championing for the construction of a multi-use velodrome which they said would be a significant infrastructural asset to Napier City, and would attract not only cyclists but other groups in the region.

A submission from the Ramblers to Napier City Council said it believed the city was ideally suited to hosting such a facility.

"It would attract cyclists and sports people from all over Hawke's Bay, the East Coast of the North Island and further afield."

Mr Bush said it could also be a multi-disciplinary centre used to hold things from school events to concerts.

"Hawke's Bay is crying out for a facility like that, and I really think it would be a positive for not just cyclists but for Hawke's Bay.

"Yes it's going to cost a lot of money but good things do."

Ramblers were putting more than $90,000 toward the proposed facility.

To ensure the Velodrome was well used, Mr Bush said they had been pushing for it to be located at Pettigrew Green so it was accessible to people from Napier, Hastings, and Central Hawke's Bay.

Ramblers member and immediate Past President of Cycling New Zealand Road and Track Ivan Alpin said the region had the cycling base already and the velodrome would bring more people in and get more children into cycling.

Their submission said Ramblers was one of the largest cycling clubs in New Zealand with about 350 active members. If the velodrome was constructed, their submission said they had all the expertise and experience required to run the velodrome as a successful business entity.

"It is essential that the party who run the velodrome has the experience and proven ability to plan, manage, and host a continuous series of events both financially and operationally."

Mr Bush said he knew there were critics of the velodrome but that it would a place everyone could be proud of and would add to the region rather than take away.