Cyclists have a faint hope of regaining access to the closed Juan de Fuca velodrome after a committee was struck with the sole mandate of B次元官网网址済etting cyclists back on the track.B次元官网网址�

Scores of cyclists and supporters packed a West Shore Parks and Recreation board meeting Thursday night to press their case that the velodrome should reopen, a message that found sympathy among a number of board members.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 three years now since weB次元官网网址檝e lost the velodrome. The sport has grown. ItB次元官网网址檚 amazing whatB次元官网网址檚 happened in the cycling community,B次元官网网址� said Metchosin Coun. Jo Mitchell. B次元官网网址淎fter three years things change. ItB次元官网网址檚 time for another look at the issue.B次元官网网址�

The cyclist lobby was reinvigorated after Metchosin and Highlands wrote letters of support to WSPR, backing the Greater Victoria Velodrome AssociationB次元官网网址檚 five-year plan to open the track this year for racing and cycling development programs.

The board didnB次元官网网址檛 go as far as advocating the GVVAB次元官网网址檚 ideas, but it did pass MitchellB次元官网网址檚 suggestion to form a committee to examine what obstacles need removing to get cyclists on the track. The GVVA has a seat on that committee.

B次元官网网址淚f we had this many people show up to council, weB次元官网网址檇 take heed,B次元官网网址� noted View Royal Coun. Heidi Rast, surveying the crowd. B次元官网网址淲ith this number of people calling for the facility to open, keeping it closed wonB次元官网网址檛 make the problem go away.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲e need to strike a committee and move forward before this whole issue destroys the board,B次元官网网址� agreed View Royal Coun. David Screech. B次元官网网址淭hese polarized, entrenched, dug in positions are getting us nowhere.B次元官网网址�

The WSPR board closed the 1994 Commonwealth Games velodrome in August 2008 after Aon Risk Control Services reported the fraying and damaged infield turf was a serious legal liability. The report recommended fencing off the entire velodrome facility until the turf was removed or replaced.

That came in the wake of a controversial plan to turn the velodrome into an all-weather turf field, after an earlier plan to build an indoor cycling track came to nothing. Since then, Langford has struck out on its own and built two all-weather fields.

Various plans floated by WSPR board members, owner municipalities and cyclists have fired often acrimonious debate over the future of the velodrome site. It was a B次元官网网址渄iscussion which was adversarial to a point of poisoning the board,B次元官网网址� noted board chair Les Bjola. B次元官网网址淭he entire issue as destroyed the camaraderie that has existed on this board."

At one point, the WSPR board had offered the GVVA a contract to run the velodrome, but the cyclists had to come up with $50,000 and commit to raising hundreds of thousands to replace the infield turf. As GVVA president Chris Anstey pointed out, that level of funding was far beyond its means.

The future of the velodrome site, and all recreational facilities on the 108-acre WSPR property in Colwood, are being hashed out in a 20-year capital spending plan currently in the works, with a first draft expected this April. The board has a standing motion that the velodrome issue be shelved until that plan is completed.

Cyclists were ecstatic the board was swayed to crack open what has been a toxic egg, but WSPR administrator Linda Barnes cautioned the audience: B次元官网网址淭his is not a black and white issue. I wish it was, or it would have been resolved by now.B次元官网网址�

The GVVA argues its insurance underwriter has no problem insuring GVVA members on the velodrome, despite warnings in the Aon report. Barnes said thatB次元官网网址檚 a discussion that needs to involve WSPRB次元官网网址檚 insurance provider, the GVVA and its insurance provider.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not as simple as getting insurance and opening the velodrome,B次元官网网址� Barnes said.

Even with insurance, the key logistical problem remains B次元官网网址揃次元官网网址� how can cyclists be allowed into the velodrome site while keeping the public safe and out of the infield? A number of WSPR board members have expressed fears that if the Aon report is ignored and someone is injured in the infield, the publicly-owned recreation facility would be wide open to lawsuits.

Removing the turf from the infield would also cost a considerable amount of money, and it remains unclear if that would resolve the liability problem. Barnes said there is no question the turf is unsafe for use by sports teams.

B次元官网网址淚s it unsafe to walk on with a bike? I donB次元官网网址檛 know. What weB次元官网网址檝e said is that itB次元官网网址檚 not a playable surface,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淗ow do we keep the public off and keep kids from running out onto the turf if we open it for cyclists? Those are the kind of questions weB次元官网网址檝e got to solve before we open it even for the short term.B次元官网网址�

The velodrome committee, by any measure, is a positive opportunity for board members and the GVVA to layout facts and issues, and to clear the air, Barnes said. B次元官网网址淚t allows a conversation not fraught with rhetoric,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 looking forward to the discussion. IB次元官网网址檇 be delighted to have this solved.B次元官网网址�

Anstey, with the GVVA, reckons itB次元官网网址檚 possible to set up fencing in the infield in such a way to provide a safe staging area for bikes and riders. Volunteers could have the velodrome ready to roll in a short time, and for little money, he said.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 very pleased we are moving forward as a group,B次元官网网址� Anstey said. B次元官网网址淚 think there is a good chance weB次元官网网址檒l get somewhere. It rests on how they define the velodrome B次元官网网址� if it means fixing the infield for soccer, itB次元官网网址檚 not going to happen. The money isnB次元官网网址檛 there.B次元官网网址�

Langford, Colwood mull washing hands of velodrome

One of the velodrome committeeB次元官网网址檚 tasks is to explore if Highlands, View Royal and Metchosin are prepared to fund replacing or removing the velodrome infield B次元官网网址� without Langford and Colwood.

Colwood Mayor Dave Saunders successfully put the motion forward, noting one of the top priorities for his city and Langford is building two new high schools.

B次元官网网址淚f we put money into fields, it is going into high school (fields),B次元官网网址� Saunders told the board. B次元官网网址淎ny money in the future will be going toward those fields. It wonB次元官网网址檛 be going here.B次元官网网址�

editor@goldstreamgazette.com