Milton gets on cycling fast track with state-of-the-art indoor velodrome for TORONTO 2015 Games

Sole facility of its kind in Canada; designed as best on continent

MILTON, ON, Nov. 15, 2012 /CNW/ - Canada's fastest growing community will soon be home to one of the fastest growing sports in the country with the construction of a  world-class indoor velodrome, the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games Organizing Committee (TO2015) announced today.

The velodrome, which is jointly funded by the Government of Canada and the Town of Milton, is the sole facility of its kind in Canada and only the second that meets top international standards for cycling competitions in the USA and Canada. Core to its design is its ability to function as both an international venue for competitive cycling and as a legacy community recreational centre.

Known as the Milton Pan Am and Parapan Am Velodrome during Games time, it will officially open in fall 2014 on the future site of the Milton Education Village, which offers a view of the Niagara Escarpment.

"With this facility, we have designs on being the fastest, most state-of-the-art velodrome on the continent," said Ian Troop, Chief Executive Officer, TO2015. "Not only will this ensure a fantastic field of play for the top cyclists in the Americas and Caribbean coming to compete here in less than a thousand days, it will also put Milton and Canada on the world map of cycling."

In indoor track cycling, competitors ride on specialized bikes with no brakes and can reach speeds in excess of 80 kilometres an hour as they race around a banked wooden oval.

Milton's Class 1 track, which will feature a 250-metre timber track with two 42-degree angle banks, is designed to meet the most stringent requirements set by the International Cycling Union (UCI) for international competitions. It will have the same international designation that is required to hold Olympic and elite world championships.

Designed to operate year-round, the facility will provide an important new Olympic- and Paralympic-calibre training facility for high-performance Canadian cyclists who, for the last two decades, have been forced to train outside the country for months at a time. It will also attract international cycling competitions to southern Ontario and house offices for Cycling Canada and Cycling Ontario.

In addition, the three-storey, 14,240 square metre (154,000 sq. foot) community centre is setting a new standard for flexibility, maximum usage and community usage.  For example, when cyclists are training on the track, the three multi-use courts located on the infield or bowl can be used for basketball and volleyball games, while joggers can use the walking track located on the spectator level —all at the same time.

In addition to the government funding, the Town of Milton has received a number of private donations from the local cycling community, led by Peter Gilgan.

"We are extremely excited to house this world-class sports and community recreational facility in Milton. The velodrome within the Milton Education Village will help transform this part of the community into a dynamic new neighbourhood," said Milton Mayor, Gordon Krantz. "We are extremely grateful to the Government of Canada and our community donors, especially Mr. Gilgan who has been a greater supporter of this project from day 1."

The fully accessible velodrome will also house a training lab, fitness centre, multi-purpose space, office space, café/lounge, community bicycle storage, and a retail bike and repair shop. During Games time, the venue will have room for up to 2,500 spectators.

"Our Government is a proud supporter of the 2015 Pan and Parapan American Games, which will bring jobs, growth and long-term prosperity to the region, the province and our country as a whole," said the Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Labour and Member of Parliament (Halton). "As a result of our Government's contribution to building the Games, our talented cycling athletes will have the opportunity to train and compete in a state-of-the-art velodrome, right here in Milton."

"Our Government is proud to support the creation of a new velodrome in Milton, which will be Canada's first and only indoor cycling facility that meets international specification," said the Honourable Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport). "Through our Economic Action Plan 2012, the Harper Government is helping the region develop its reputation as an international destination for sport, while leaving behind a lasting community recreation legacy for families in the region."

"The McGuinty government's support for the 'People's Games' is triggering a legacy of community and high-performance centres across the Greater Golden Horseshoe," said Michael Chan, Ontario Minister responsible for the Pan/Parapan Am Games. "The new velodrome will draw visitors and athletes from around the world to this region and will continue to be an important sport hub for the people of Milton for years to come."

The overall project costs for the Milton Pan Am and Parapan Am Velodrome are anticipated to come in at $56 million, which includes $47.4 million to design, build and finance the project. The remainder is comprised of capital expenditures for equipment, transaction fees, project management and other ancillary costs. Construction will start in February 2013.

Earlier this fall, Infrastructure Ontario awarded the contract for the Velodrome to Ontario Sports Solutions (ONSS) through a public tendering process. The consortium consists of developers and constructors Bouygues Building Canada Inc. and Kenaidan Contracting Ltd., as well as the design team of Cannon Design, FaulknerBrowns Architects, Arup and Morrison Hershfield.

ONSS is also responsible for three additional Games venues: the Hamilton Pan Am Soccer Stadium, an athletics stadium at York University in Toronto and the resurfacing of tracks at the Toronto Track & Field Centre.

The Velodrome track is designed by Dale Hughes of WorldRecord Tracks Inc., considered one of the top companies for these highly specialized sport facilities.

"As an avid cyclist, I can hardly wait to have this velodrome open in Milton," said Peter Gilgan, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Mattamy Homes. "It is my hope that this new cycling centre will become the hub of cycling in Canada and that someday a Canadian cyclist will stand atop the podium at the Olympic Games, thanks to the world-class training they received here in Milton."

Currently there are seven velodromes in Canada and only two are indoor facilities.

Earlier this year, TO2015 announced the venue clusters and sport programs for both the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games, as well as budget details for both Games. TO2015 will issue its first quarterly budget update on Tuesday, November 20.

About the TORONTO 2015 Pan American/Parapan American Games
The Pan American and Parapan American Games are one of the world's largest international multi-sport events, held every four years for athletes of the 41 member nations of the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO) and 26 member nations of the Americas Paralympic Committee (APC).  The Pan American Games are comprised of all Olympic Summer Games sports, as well as traditional Pan American sports, while the Parapan American Games are comprised of the majority of Paralympic Summer Games sports.  The TORONTO 2015 Pan American/Parapan American Games will draw more than 10,000 athletes, coaches and team officials and feature 51 sports in municipalities across the Greater Golden Horseshoe area. The TORONTO 2015 Pan American Games will take place July 10−26 and the Parapan American Games August 7-14. For more information about the Games, please visit TORONTO2015.org.

SOURCE: Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games

Teddy Katz
Director, Media Relations and Chief Spokesperson, TO2015
C: 647.404.5263
[email protected]