Prospect of demolishing Dunc Gray Velodrome threatens NSW cycling

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Bunged Knee
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Prospect of demolishing Dunc Gray Velodrome threatens NSW cycling

Postby Bunged Knee » Fri Dec 09, 2016 4:00 pm

In the SMH news

"At Bass Hill, where the Dunc Gray velodrome sits amid hockey and football fields, the question of who will pay for hefty maintenance bills is threatening the future of track cycling in NSW.

After the Olympics, the state government gifted the $42 million velodrome to Bankstown Council. The council subsequently signed a lease with Bankstown Sports Club to operate the venue, but that lease expires in 2019.

The new council of Canterbury Bankstown, therefore, will inherit the venue in three years. That means it will inherit its estimated $400,000-$500,000 annual maintenance bill, on top of a need for another $1 million in capital works in the next few years.

Mr Colley has commissioned a report into the future of the velodrome. "There are a number of options … ranging from a 'do-nothing through' to a modification of it, through to the nth degree - which is demolition," he said.

Mr Colley's argument is that the burden of paying for track cycling in NSW should not fall only on the ratepayers of Canterbury Bankstown.

But for Phil Ayres, the chief executive officer of Cycling NSW, not having an indoor velodrome would "decimate" his sport."

It will be sad to see it demolished if it happens. :shock:
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Re: Prospect of demolishing Dunc Gray Velodrome threatens NSW cycling

Postby dalai47 » Fri Dec 09, 2016 4:26 pm

They need to convert the infield to be a multi use space like many of the the other indoor velodromes around the country to spread the maintenance costs and bring in revenue.

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Re: Prospect of demolishing Dunc Gray Velodrome threatens NSW cycling

Postby bigfriendlyvegan » Fri Dec 09, 2016 6:15 pm

dalai47 wrote:They need to convert the infield to be a multi use space like many of the the other indoor velodromes around the country to spread the maintenance costs and bring in revenue.
They have roller derby in there and I think the bulldogs cheer squad used to train there as well. It would probably be more used if (a) it wasn't so bloody cold in the winter (b) bloody hot in the summer (c) leaky in the rain.

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Re: Prospect of demolishing Dunc Gray Velodrome threatens NSW cycling

Postby g-boaf » Fri Dec 09, 2016 9:17 pm

The above reply probably is the reason they will just demolish it, simple as that.

Easier to flatten the venue used by a small amount of "cockroaches on wheels" to quote a certain politician in Canberra,. Even worse, the venue is in a massively anti cycling state.

And no, the outdoor venues are not the same. You are at the mercy of weather, which in summer in evenings means storms. No amount of walking around the track with brooms, leaf blowers and riding around on motorbikes will dry the track out that quickly. And they are different to being on the boards.

It would be a shame to lose it. The statement of the NSW Sports Minister says it all though, reading between the lines.

What is needed is big corporate backing for the venue, and upgrades to make it more suitable to other infield uses. And that means upgrading it so it isn't a freezer in winter, and stinking hot in summer.

The Government also needs to back it, as the only indoor velodrome we have in this state.

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Re: Prospect of demolishing Dunc Gray Velodrome threatens NSW cycling

Postby Alex Simmons/RST » Sat Dec 10, 2016 12:34 pm

The fate of DGV was sealed the moment it was foolishly agreed to put it where it is.

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Re: Prospect of demolishing Dunc Gray Velodrome threatens NSW cycling

Postby g-boaf » Sat Dec 10, 2016 6:20 pm

Alex Simmons/RST wrote:The fate of DGV was sealed the moment it was foolishly agreed to put it where it is.

It is very far out of the way. That's true.

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Re: Prospect of demolishing Dunc Gray Velodrome threatens NSW cycling

Postby Howzat » Sun Dec 11, 2016 6:35 am

How about they change the name to the "Dunc Gay Velodrome?" They could put a carpark in the middle and fund operations from fines issued to people caught riding furiously.

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Re: Prospect of demolishing Dunc Gray Velodrome threatens NSW cycling

Postby Alex Simmons/RST » Sun Dec 11, 2016 11:32 am

The CNSW technical truck was totalled the other week when it was firebombed while parked at the DGV car park. I guess we're lucky they didn't bomb the track. This time at least.

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Re: Prospect of demolishing Dunc Gray Velodrome threatens NSW cycling

Postby RonK » Sun Dec 11, 2016 12:27 pm

The threat of demolition is pure fear-mongering, trying to pressure the state into contributing to the funding the maintenance and operation of the track.

I think a valid point has been made - why should the local authority foot the entire bill for a facility which benefits the whole state.

The report does not mention the cost of demolition, but tearing it down will not come for free.

It's a bigger venue no doubt, but I was reading this week that the cost of demolishing Christchurch's earthquake damaged Lancaster Stadium is estimated to be around $NZ20m.
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Re: Prospect of demolishing Dunc Gray Velodrome threatens NSW cycling

Postby g-boaf » Sun Dec 11, 2016 2:57 pm

Alex Simmons/RST wrote:The CNSW technical truck was totalled the other week when it was firebombed while parked at the DGV car park. I guess we're lucky they didn't bomb the track. This time at least.
Is that the one with all the video stuff in the back? :shock: Who the heck would want to do that? :x

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Re: Prospect of demolishing Dunc Gray Velodrome threatens NSW cycling

Postby Derny Driver » Sun Dec 11, 2016 4:22 pm

g-boaf wrote:
Alex Simmons/RST wrote:The CNSW technical truck was totalled the other week when it was firebombed while parked at the DGV car park. I guess we're lucky they didn't bomb the track. This time at least.
Is that the one with all the video stuff in the back? :shock: Who the heck would want to do that? :x
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Re: Prospect of demolishing Dunc Gray Velodrome threatens NSW cycling

Postby trailgumby » Sun Dec 11, 2016 7:22 pm

Derny Driver wrote:
g-boaf wrote:
Alex Simmons/RST wrote:The CNSW technical truck was totalled the other week when it was firebombed while parked at the DGV car park. I guess we're lucky they didn't bomb the track. This time at least.
Is that the one with all the video stuff in the back? :shock: Who the heck would want to do that? :x
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Re: Prospect of demolishing Dunc Gray Velodrome threatens NSW cycling

Postby g-boaf » Mon Dec 12, 2016 9:33 am

Alex Simmons/RST wrote:Image
Disgraceful. :evil: For those that are unaware, that's the van that has the video equipment (among other stuff) that is used for checking close finishes. And usually with Ron somewhere close by.

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Re: Prospect of demolishing Dunc Gray Velodrome threatens NSW cycling

Postby brawlo » Mon Dec 12, 2016 1:09 pm

It's in a bad spot. That is a given and also why, no matter what eventuates, it will in the short or hopefully long term be demolished. Moving it within Sydney is probably going to be off the cards altogether too unfortunately. Best case scenario may be reinvigorating the chit chat of it moving to Canberra. Put it within the confines of the AIS grounds, close to a raft of sporting facilities, and under the hands of a cycling friendly government.

With the current "sell off all available public assets" and (AT)#*$ cyclists mindset of NSW state govenment, getting them on board for funding wouldn't look too likely.

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Re: Prospect of demolishing Dunc Gray Velodrome threatens NSW cycling

Postby g-boaf » Mon Dec 12, 2016 6:06 pm

brawlo wrote:It's in a bad spot. That is a given and also why, no matter what eventuates, it will in the short or hopefully long term be demolished. Moving it within Sydney is probably going to be off the cards altogether too unfortunately. Best case scenario may be reinvigorating the chit chat of it moving to Canberra. Put it within the confines of the AIS grounds, close to a raft of sporting facilities, and under the hands of a cycling friendly government.

With the current "sell off all available public assets" and (AT)#*$ cyclists mindset of NSW state govenment, getting them on board for funding wouldn't look too likely.
Then track cycling in NSW is totally dead. You aren't going to drive down to Canberra every Wednesday night or Friday night for training/racing after work.


Perhaps, going along with demolishing it, they ban racing and all cycling too? Might as well finish the job properly. :x

If the ACT government is so cycling friendly then let it build its own velodrome!

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Re: Prospect of demolishing Dunc Gray Velodrome threatens NSW cycling

Postby Howzat » Mon Dec 12, 2016 9:10 pm

They just refitted the Narrabundah velodrome in Canberra a year back. It's open air though.

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Re: Prospect of demolishing Dunc Gray Velodrome threatens NSW cycling

Postby g-boaf » Tue Dec 13, 2016 9:38 am

Howzat wrote:They just refitted the Narrabundah velodrome in Canberra a year back. It's open air though.
Perfect, the AIS types can use that.

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Re: Prospect of demolishing Dunc Gray Velodrome threatens NSW cycling

Postby dalai47 » Tue Dec 13, 2016 9:51 am

g-boaf wrote:
Howzat wrote:They just refitted the Narrabundah velodrome in Canberra a year back. It's open air though.
Perfect, the AIS types can use that.
No they can't. It's called specificity! Canberra is outdoors, concrete and 333m. Totally different from the timber indoor 250m tracks raced at that level.

Why do you think the AIS track squad is based in Adelaide? It's definitely not for the nightlife! :wink:

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Re: Prospect of demolishing Dunc Gray Velodrome threatens NSW cycling

Postby g-boaf » Tue Dec 13, 2016 10:17 am

I know, I was being sarcastic. ;) Wouldn't they want structure their training around rain, hail, wind and storms - just the thing for making it more interesting for them. ;)

DGV is the only easy way the average Joe can have a go on an indoor velodrome in Sydney or surrounding areas. Putting it as an AIS facility in Canberra probably makes it totally inaccessible to everyone else.

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Re: Prospect of demolishing Dunc Gray Velodrome threatens NSW cycling

Postby dalai47 » Tue Dec 13, 2016 10:21 am

Sorry missed the sarcasm... :oops:

Agree it would be disastrous to loose an indoor velodrome in a city of 4+ Million people.

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Re: Prospect of demolishing Dunc Gray Velodrome threatens NSW cycling

Postby brawlo » Tue Dec 13, 2016 2:39 pm

What I find sad is the lack of Sydney patronage at the track. When you look at the number of riders at events that I have attended and the number of riders coming from 1+ hours away, throwing the 4 million number around seems a bit pathetic and extremely disappointing

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Re: Prospect of demolishing Dunc Gray Velodrome threatens NSW cycling

Postby Alien27 » Tue Jan 30, 2018 5:12 pm

Anyone have any update on this? has NSW gov or the council mentioned anything further?
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Re: Prospect of demolishing Dunc Gray Velodrome threatens NSW cycling

Postby g-boaf » Thu Feb 01, 2018 9:01 am

Alien27 wrote:Anyone have any update on this? has NSW gov or the council mentioned anything further?
https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Hansa ... 9322-98849

There is a little bit of talk in Hansard from Tania Mihailuk MP. You'd be best to get in touch with her and see if anything more has happened thus far. She can follow up on it.

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Re: Prospect of demolishing Dunc Gray Velodrome threatens NSW cycling

Postby find_bruce » Mon May 21, 2018 7:01 am

One of the challenges is that the NSW Government is not that interested in the work involved in hosting international events.

There is a push for Western Sydney to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games, see ABC and SMH which would be good news for Dunc Gray.

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