Council support for Velodrome roof
Published on 02 March 2017
2 March 2017
Roofing the Whanganui Velodrome roof has got one step closer with resource consent granted by an independent commissioner on Tuesday, 28 February 2017.
The Regional Velodrome Development Trust, an independent organisation which has lobbied under the banner ‘Raise the Roof’, made the resource consent application to construct a translucent membrane roof over the existing velodrome at Cooks Gardens.
Consent was granted subject to the roof being a maximum of 18.75 metres above the height of the existing velodrome wall, as well as a recommendation for approval from the Council.
The Council, in conjunction with the Regional Velodrome Development Trust, has developed a draft business plan and preliminary design work had been undertaken.
Whanganui District Council Chief Executive Kym Fell says the Whanganui Velodrome is a strategic asset for the Manawatu-Whanganui region and acknowledges the importance of Council support to protect the facility.
“Without a roof, the feedback we have had from engineers is that our velodrome will need to be removed or rebuilt in about six years’ time, so now is the time to be thinking about how we can make sure this regional asset is preserved. As part of the roofing project, we are looking at developing the area in the centre of the facility so it can be used for a wide variety of regional activities as well as cycling and inline-skating.
“We’ve had verbal support from the Government, with former Prime Minister Hon John Key, Sport and Recreation Minister Hon Jonathan Coleman and Finance and Infrastructure Minister Hon Steven Joyce visiting the velodrome in the last six months and indicating how significant it is in our wider region as a multi-function events centre.
“We also have support from Whanganui MP Hon Chester Borrows and on Friday, February 24, we took Transport Minister Hon Simon Bridges for an unscheduled velodrome visit when he was in town to open the Shared Pathway and he was impressed by what he saw.”
The Regional Velodrome Development Trust is progressing with a developed design and geotechnical work to advance the project.
Funding for the project has been allocated in the draft 2017/18 Annual Plan, which will be available for public feedback during April 2017.