I'm working on the assumption that it is - heading over there shortly.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Sport
"Sir Chris Hoy in call to save Meadowbank velodrome"
(78 posts)-
Posted 11 years ago #
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YES
Unless it rains again.
Can't trust weather forecast - I got wet at lunchtime.
Posted 11 years ago # -
I'm 'ere. Heading in.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Posted 11 years ago # -
Don't think I'm going to bother with my photos - was seriously uninspired behind the lens tonight. Interesting to see the velodrome though - really is run down, and remarkable how much it feels like an 80s timewarp. Real shame.
Posted 11 years ago # -
"Don't think I'm going to bother with my photos"
got dark pretty quick.
Posted 11 years ago # -
A bit of searching around and found this list, which shows how many tracks/velodromes there are in the UK.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cycling_tracks_and_velodromes#United_Kingdom
Also interesting is the list at the foot of the page of 'Velodromes no longer in use'. In particular:
Saffron Lane sports centre Leicester, Leicestershire 333m 37˚ Wood Built in 1978, fell into disrepair due to lack of funds
Might a similar fate befall Meadowbank if nothing is done?
Posted 11 years ago # -
The 'athelete's seating area' in particular looked like something out of Pripyat. Amusing to think Sir Chris started off there, at any rate.
Certainly a stark contrast to some of the shiny smooth bikes being hurtled round that alarming bank.
Luckily I'd read on the track group's site that it's the coldest place in the known universe once the sun sets, so I took a jacket as well as that natty sweater. Still wasnae warm.
Posted 11 years ago # -
It was Baltic. I'd lost the ability of coherent speech by the time we set off away from the velodrome at the end.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Really? I hadn't noticed... :P
Posted 11 years ago # -
See? You made perfect sense to both Anth and me. I can't kangaroo of better evidence that you were 100% fine.
Got round to wrestling with Flickr passwords...
Posted 11 years ago # -
Wibble.
The glow from the lights makes it look deceptively warm in those photos. Brrrr.
You should track down the TBW guy in the bottom one - tell him you were intending to focus on him in particular. :D
Posted 11 years ago # -
Form latest budget announcements:
"The council will also commit up to £60,000 to look into the options for the future of Meadowbank"
Ah well, some consultant will be doing well out of it.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Seems the old idea for a velodrome at Craigmillar has been revived.
http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/news/article/1151/city_sports_investment_plans_move_up_a_gear
"
"The phenomenal success enjoyed by Sir Chris Hoy has acted as an inspiration to many and interest in cycling is at all time high. We have already allocated 6% of our transport budget to cycling improvements across the city but, through this investment, we want to encourage and support competitive cycling as well.
"
"
The proposed investment would include the development of a regional track cycling facility and closed 1km road loop circuit at Hunters Hall Park, the home of the Jack Kane Sports Centre. Additional facilities, such as a BMX track, may be added later."
To replace the (basic) neglected one that was bulldozed recently.
"
Council officers will submit applications to sportscotland and other bodies with a view to securing additional funding.
"
Posted 11 years ago # -
My memories of sport at Jack Kane are somewhat coloured by the experience of finding dog eggs on the football pitches, scrambler bikers roaring through the middle of rugby and football games and getting a nice deep cut on my hand from a shredded and rusty can on the playing field. Not my favourite location, then.
I wonder if there'll be any way to prevent the scramblers using/damaging the cycling facilities?
Posted 11 years ago # -
"I wonder if there'll be any way to prevent the scramblers using/damaging the cycling facilities?"
I think number of motorbikes illegal/stolen has been reduced over recent years.
I assume planned track is indoor (well that was the previous plan) - though still not clear whether CEC has/been promised enough money.
I assume road course would be tarmac(?)
Posted 11 years ago # -
I have to say I'm puzzled by the celebratory noises accompanying this news. Is the replacement of a World class (albeit ageing) outdoor timber track with an outdoor concrete track in of all places the Jack Kane centre really something to celebrate ?
Posted 11 years ago # -
I think we'll just have to accept that Glasgow has the national world class velodrome now. It's overall good news if the council are investing in a proper all weather track, plus a closed road circuit. The location may be an issue for some, but if it's a good facility that has to be better for local sport cycling than losing Meadowbank with no replacement.
I hope they'll keep the main stadium at Meadowbank though. It's still a great facility and well used.
Posted 11 years ago # -
"
That she got into cycling at all was pure fluke. Her mother, Glenda, wanted to lose weight. While chatting to another mother at her daughter's swimming club, she was told about a cycling club in the nearby town of Welwyn. When she went along for a look, her two girls went with her."
Posted 11 years ago # -
New thread on developments at Hunters Hall -
http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10270#post-111897
Posted 10 years ago # -
"
During discussion about the 2013/2014 investment in cycling facilities, Cllr Booth took the focus back to Meadowbank questioning whether there were any plans to make the facilities indoor, rather than outdoor as it is as present, to reduce maintenance. Cllr Booth also wanted to know if there could be ways of reducing such problems at the proposed cycling hub at Hunter’s Hall Park in the future. The council officer replied that Meadowbank had received funding, but the infrastructure was of an age. The building will have to compete with other facilities for maintenance as the council is simply unable to ”maintain all the buildings all the time”."
http://www.theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2013/05/culture-and-sport-committee-approve-second-sky-ride
Hunter’s Hall Park unlike Meadowbank, would use concrete instead of wood so should be easier to maintain.
So it's official - CEC has too much stuff to look after properly.
Posted 10 years ago # -
How many of these would be needed to cover the existing velodrome?
Photo by AIMC
Structure by http://www.airsculpt.com
Posted 10 years ago # -
Then again it would need to be big enough...
Photo by AIMC
Posted 10 years ago # -
This story mostly about main stadium -
"
Cycling legend Sir Chris Hoy, 37, called for fresh investment in the rundown stadium as he announcement his retirement earlier this year.
Britain’s greatest Olympian said he would not have hit such spectacular heights had it not been for the facility.
"
http://m.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/olympic-team-to-help-with-meadowbank-revamp-1-3016729
Posted 10 years ago # -
Beeb story:
Experts draw up £60,000 options for Meadowbank Stadium
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-23463388
Posted 10 years ago # -
No mention of velodrome of course -
Posted 10 years ago # -
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-23463388
BBC TV News last night showed a map of the area to be sold off - triangle including the Velodrome.
Posted 10 years ago # -
They already have two indoor running tracks at Meadowbank. They already have a 400m outdoor track. My son was using them this summer.
So what is costing £17 million that requires the velodrome corner to be sold off?
Posted 10 years ago #
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