The group behind an ambitious plan to create a high class velodrome in Inverness have pledged to provide facilities for everyone – from elite athletes to youthful beginners
Highland Velodrome Trust (HiVelo) have engaged two sets of consultants to work on design, costs and a business plan for creating the indoor cycle track at the Inverness Campus.
The group, which is aiming to achieve charitable status, have also begun actively fundraising in support of the project.
Yesterday HiVelo secretary Mike Greaves said that the facility could be ready for use within three years at a cost of £3million.
The group hope to include the velodrome as part of the regional sports centre within the rapidly developing campus on the south-eastern edge of the site.
The proposed site would share facilities with other aspects of the sports centre.
And with cycling enjoying unparalleled popularity thanks to the successes of riders like Sir Bradley Wiggins and Sir Chris Hoy, HiVelo believe the time is right to build Inverness’s own velodrome.
Mr Greaves said: “We feel that this would be a huge benefit to sport in the Highlands and further afield.
“It is especially important to us that the track is covered so it can be used all year round because everybody knows that during the winter the roads up here really aren’t suitable for cycling.
“We have had feedback that people would travel from right across the Highlands and right out to Grampian and Aberdeen as well.
“People think of velodromes and they think Chris Hoy but this can be used from everything from racing to training children.”
The Inverness facility would be just the second covered track in Scotland after the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome which was specially built in Glasgow for this summer’s Commonwealth Games.
HiVelo hope to install a 200m pine track to Olympic standard in Glasgow.
Highland Council leader Drew Hendry, a keen cyclist, said the plans would be a “fantastic” addition to the developing campus.
He said: “It looks like a fantastic idea but we are still at the point of looking into possibilities for the sports hub site on the campus.
“At the moment we are looking at the all the options but clearly a high class velodrome would be a very welcome addition to the site and to the Highlands.
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HiVelo have the backing of Scottish Cycling and lottery funding which will go towards paying for design costs.
HiVelo are organising a fundraising cycle event in October, starting from Culloden Battlefield and running from distances of 21, 42 and 85 miles around Strathspey and Nairn.
Entries are available for Culloden Cycle Challenge on the HiVelo webstite.