Velodrome bound for Newport?
SubscribeSports Council for Wales 23 April 2001
NEWPORT HAS emerged as the front-runner for the Wales National Velodrome following an announcement by the Sports Council for Wales' Sportlot National Panel. After inviting every area in Wales to bid for the velodrome, five applications were received and now Newport has been singled out as the preferred location.
Dr. Huw Jones, Chief Executive of the Sports Council for Wales, commented: "We received five applications - from Blaeanau Gwent, Bridgend, Newport, Torfaen and Wyecroft Developments in Neath Port Talbot.
"We were particularly impressed with the Newport County Borough Council bid. The authority showed that they were committed to the building and running of a velodrome and the development of cycling generally. A key concern of the panel is to ensure compatibility of the development with other potential sporting activities, both in the building and on the site. A number of the projects did this but Newport's bid provided the best example."
The high speed cycling track – for which £7 million has been provisionally allocated - is a key stage of the national facilities plan, following similar investment in a number of other national training facilities by the Sports Council for Wales. National Lottery money has helped build the National Cricket Centre at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, a National Indoor Athletics Centre at UWIC, Cardiff, and the Wales National Pool, Swansea, on which work has just started.
"IF NEWPORT County Borough Council can convince us of the financial viability of the project then we will consider making them a formal offer of a grant," National Panel Chairman Ron Jones explained.
"The only other UK example of an indoor velodrome is the Manchester track which was built for the 2002 Commonwealth Games bid. This is a massive commitment from the Sports Council for Wales and we need to ensure we get it right."
