Land secured for future velodrome

Image of the future Home of Cycling

Aug 19th, 11.  The group responsible for Waikato's Cycling Centre of Excellence bid today announced it has secured land for the country's second indoor velodrome - at a price of just $1.

The Home of Cycling Charitable Trust, which is hoping to gain SPARC's approval to build the new centre, has reached a final agreement with St Peter's School in Cambridge.

The land, approximately 2 hectares situated on State Highway 1 near Cambridge, will be sold by St Peter's to the Home of Cycling Charitable Trust for $1, effectively gifting the land to the Trust.

This means the title on which the velodrome is to be built will be 100% owned by the Home of Cycling Charitable Trust.

"St Peter's has been extremely generous with this contribution, we are thrilled to accept their offer and it is significant that the site of the velodrome will be owned by the community," said Home of Cycling Interim Chief Executive Geoff Balme.

"There has been a great deal of interest from the public in our arrangement with the school and I'm glad that we're now in a position to make these details public," continued Balme.

The agreement allows St Peter's students limited access to the facility and includes a provision whereby if the land is no longer used for a velodrome, St Peter's has the right to buy the land back.

This is the second piece of good news for the Home of Cycling project this week. On Wednesday, Hamilton City Councillors voted to support a regional rate for the facility.

"It's been a really positive week. We had a great turn out at our public meeting, we're getting some excellent traction with significant corporate sponsors, Hamilton City Council has expressed its support and now an incredibly generous offer from St Peter's," said Trust Chairman Rob Waddell.

Waikato Regional Council is currently accepting public submissions as it continues to consider a $6m one-off contribution to the Home of Cycling.

Submissions close 22 August at 4pm.