CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Sport
"Battle breaks out between Edinburgh and Glasgow over Sir Chris Hoy parade"
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Posted 12 years ago #
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"
Labour councillor Paul Godzik, who represents Meadows/Morningside, said: “Edinburgh is the natural place, given that it’s the capital city and home to Chris Hoy, who’s had such a fantastic Games.”
"
And home to the Meadowbank Velodrome - just...
Posted 12 years ago # -
It must be most interest councillors in Glasgow and Edinburgh have ever shown in cycling.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Yeah but it's not cycling as we know it...
It's SPORT - not transport, leisure, ActiveTravel etc.
Posted 12 years ago # -
He is Edinburgh born and bred, keeps a house here, was schooled here and cut his teeth first on BMX and later on the Meadowbank Velodrome here.
There’s the Chris Hoy Velodrome in the East End of Glasgow and so here is the logical place to have it,” he said
I'm not even sure if Hoy will compete in 2014, previously he didn't so as to concentrate on World Champs, World Cups and Olympics events (rather than the rather parochial - in cycling terms - "distraction" of the Commonwealths).
John McLaughlin, SNP councillor for Shettleston, said Glasgow was the “sporting hub of Scotland” and that people in the west were “more vibrant and exciting” than their compatriots in the Capital.
Well perhaps being "vibrant and exciting" doesn't translate so well into Olympic gold?
Maybe we could have it in BOTH places? Or how about Manchester, where he lives and trains?
Also, it's not just the Chris Hoy parade, is it? There's (off the top of my head) at least 3 other Scottish gold winners, one from Peebles, one from Lossiemouth, one from (I think) the Borders, plus sure there's some bronze in there too. I'm sure each of their home towns will organise a parade for their homecoming hero too.
Posted 12 years ago # -
It's not anything to do with cycling. It's all about...
Gold
(Gold)
Always believe in your soul
You've got the power to know
You're indestructible, always believe in, 'cos you areGold
(Gold)
I'm glad that you're bound to return
Something I could have learned
You're indestructible, always believe inYou are gold
Always believe in your soul
You've got the power to know
You're indestructible, always believe in, 'cos you areGold
(Gold)
I'm glad that you're bound to return
Something I could have learned
You're indestructible, always believe in
(Gold)
(Gold)(c) 1983 Spandau Ballet
Posted 12 years ago # -
You didn't transcribe the sax solo.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Spandau Ballet? That's so 80s. East 17's where it's at.
"Life is worth more than gold
A soul should never be sold
A lie should never be told
'cos life is worth more than gold.Gold we don't need it, do we
Gold we don't need it, do we
Gold we don't need it, do we
Gold we don't need it, do we
Gold we don't need it, do we
Gold we don't need it
Gold"Sorry, I seem to be channelling the spirit of 'Now 23'.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Couldn't they do both? Have the parade start in Glasgow and then finish in Edinburgh?
Posted 12 years ago # -
"Have the parade start in Glasgow and then finish in Edinburgh?"
Coincide with Pedal for Scotland??
Posted 12 years ago # -
one from Lossiemouth
That one seemed a wee bit iffy. I know BBC Scotland claimed her as a local but she seems to have been born in Yeovil and lives somewhere in England. She did go to Gordonston so by that metric the royal family can complete for Scotland too and I'm a Londoner.
I'm getting my pearly king jacket and jellied eels ready as we speak.
Posted 12 years ago # -
from Lossiemouth
Yes I think the connection there is RAF Lossiemouth
Posted 12 years ago # -
The RAF are doing boats now?
Posted 12 years ago # -
typical scotland. He seemed to be very pro-meadowbank velodrome, pretty sure he'd rather be in edinburgh even if he's too polite to say so.
Agree with the post on "its not cycling as we (or pretty much anyone who uses a bike) know it"
Posted 12 years ago # -
Heather Stanning's parents were interviewd just after she won and said they were happy for Lossiemouth to claim her as a local gold medallist.
Has anyone thought to ask Sir Chris for his views?
Posted 12 years ago # -
"
He seemed to be very pro-meadowbank velodrome, pretty sure he'd rather be in edinburgh even if he's too polite to say so."
He certainly was keen to campaign for it a couple of years ago. I'm very sure he'd be very happy to do it again if it would make any difference.
It seems to be STUCK with CEC.
For all the 'rivalry' between Edinburgh and Glasgow, the new stadium should have renewed CEC's interest in a new velodrome here - seems it had the opposite effect!
Those who know (not me) say that Scotland needs another two.
One should be in Edinburgh the other may happen in Inverness - quite likely before Edinburgh does anything!!!
In fact it really is a bit of a cheek for Edinburgh (well CEC anyway) to want to 'honour' Chris Hoy again.
It's time CEC said 'we've given up on the idea of a new velodrome' OR 'and now - to recognise the achievements of the man whose brilliant career started here AND to encourage generations of "new Chris Hoys" - we will have a new velodrome in 2013 (on time and on budget)'
Posted 12 years ago # -
CEC did not want to honour anyone last time, they were just shamed into it by the public and so threw something together at the last minute that most people couldn't go to. They have a damned cheek getting all territorial now!
(Though obviously for selfish reasons I would like it here..)Posted 12 years ago # -
If scotland "needs" 3 velodromes I'd have thought glasgow,edinburgh and aberdeen. Not sure that it does though, and Stirling and aberdeen would seem a better compromise.
Posted 12 years ago # -
If it was me I would be tempted to say "A plague on both your [local council] houses and petty points scoring" and have nothing to do with it. Fortunately Mr Hoy is a nicer person than I am...
(OT: did anyone else see the clip on the BBC website of him filming the cheering crowds on his phone?)
Posted 12 years ago # -
Posted 12 years ago #
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As scotland is getting a new velodrome in glasgow, if a 2nd one is going to be built it really should be near aberdeen which has a strong cycle sport scene. This wouldnt go down well with edinburgh, but glasgow is easily accessable from the whole of the central belt: with the realities of budgets, I cant see a case for another in edinburgh
Posted 12 years ago # -
"
“I’ve been racing bikes since I was seven, and I couldn’t imagine not being involved in cycling in some capacity. But it has to be somewhere you feel you can make a difference"
Glasgow, Manchester, London, Inverness?
Posted 12 years ago # -
Surely refurbishment of Meadowbank is not beyond the wit of CEC? We've had this discussion before. There is a velodrome in Dundee too...
Posted 12 years ago # -
I am not entirely convinced about this story - If Hoy was asked to do a civic reception by Edinburgh, he would go.
Equally, I am sure if Glasgow wanted to honour scottish olympians, he may well go there as well.
Unless they are on the same day, whats the issue?
The media, aided by the usual rentagob politicians continue to perpetuate this East/West nonsense.
If they spent as much time thinking about what an Olympic legacy should be (and its not a golden postbox) that may be useful - but of course, not as much column inches as perpetuating some unwinnable Edinburgh/Glasgow argument and claiming Andy Murray as their own.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Oh, and on the subject of Velodromes?
According to an article I read in inrrng, the French track team have no covered velodromes at all - one is planned near Paris.
I appreciate that especially regarding infrastructure, 'things' could be better here, but sometimes we make presumptions that we are miles behind the rest of the world - and that presumption is not always correct.
Posted 12 years ago # -
@WFB: "I'm getting my pearly king jacket and jellied eels ready as we speak."
Gertcha! Sir Chris 'Oy should parade in London, that'd shut the Glasgow and Edinburgh council cowsons up! Maybe 'e could crash at Buck 'ouse and be made Lord 'Oy at the same time. Maybe 'e could do a lap of honour around Marble Arch. Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner.... 'Es as Cockney as pie and liquor, 'e is.
Any old iron, any old iron...
Mr Knees. ex of Bromley (innit).
Posted 12 years ago # -
" I cant see a case for another in edinburgh"
There are three problems with the Meadowbank velodrome -
1) It's not covered - lots of sessions and competitions cancelled. There have been many plans which have come to nothing. Ironically the track surface apparently needs to be open to the elements!
2) It's a bit tired - lack of investment over many years.
3) CEC wants to sell it and the main stadium - though in this economic climate...
The future is more likely to be no velodrome than two velodromes unless the council and sports bodies (etc.) get their act together.
Of course there are plenty of arguments for and against spending several million pounds on special facilities for a minority sport...
Plenty of arguments for spending money on things like Leith Walk to encourage more people to cycle in a non-sporting context.
To its credit CEC recently created the skateboard/BMX facility at Saughton - which took a long time!
Perhaps Edinburgh doesn't want/need/deserve a velodrome.
Perhaps CEC has decided that there is only one Chris Hoy so no need to spend millions on the off-chance of a successor.
Perhaps CEC has decided that spending this sort of money (if it had it) doesn't fit with its current/future plans for sport/leisure/exercise.
Fine.
I think we should be told -
or perhaps have the opportunity to have the 'conversation'.
Sadly it's hard to have confidence in CEC consultations/plans/actions.
CEC prefers swimming - you can't do that on the road; and cars - which are putting a lot of people off from cycling on the roads.
How about something else - a BMX race track?
Hope Shanaze Reade does well at 3:00.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Best legacy would be (some 2 decades after it was a weekly occurrence in Bogota) to have Ciclovias every month as a very minimum. A 'no exclusions' day of all human powered movement on streets cleared of motorised traffic.
New York is ahead of both London and Edinburgh with its Summer Streets programme, and you'll see the Transport Commissioner, the Mayor, the Parks Commissioner, all out with the people riding bikes around and producing such quotes as "In 40 years working for NYC Parks this is the best event we've organised"
I reckon that we can deliver the same in Scotland and given the mindset of Glasgow's administration its going to be Edinburgh or Stirling who deliver first.
Hope we get a 1-2 Shanaze & Liam and people like CTC and BC (and Spokes) actually take BMX a bit more seriously. After all it has perhaps the widest age range riding - from 6 to 66 (Ms Reade's former coach still races on the Manchester course and he's 68 IIRC)
Posted 12 years ago # -
"
New York is ahead of both London and Edinburgh with its Summer Streets programme"
"London plans 'marathon-sized' weekend of cycling events"
Posted 12 years ago #
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