The velodrome in Los Angeles where Martyn Irvine has been preparing for the upcoming World Track Championships, complete with badminton courts like those mooted for the new track in Dundalk.
Plans for a new indoor velodrome in Dundalk Institute of Technology have suffered a setback, with student representatives at the Co Louth college voting against the plan at a meeting yesterday.
The vote was taken by 40 class representatives from across sections of the student body. When asked to vote in favour or against what would be Ireland's first ever velodrome plans, 39 voted against and one representative abstained.
According to the Students’ Union, college president Denis Cummins was invited to attend the meeting to effectively make the case for the velodrome project.
The union news website has this evening reported that Mr Cummins told the meeting the project was still in the planning stages and would not go ahead unless it was backed by the student population.
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The report on the Student Union’s website, written by its president Brian Fitzpatrick, continued: “After taking some difficult questions on the matter from some of the reps in attendance, Denis asked us to hold back on taking a vote and to wait until we could make a more informed decision in the near future.”
Mr Fitzpatrick added when Mr Cummins left the meeting the class representatives decided to press ahead with its vote.
“The general feeling was that this is our facility, and (rather) than just jumping at the first funding opportunity that comes available, we should be patient and wait for something that will actually be an addition for us students in DkIT.”
At the centre of the case appears to be the fear among students that if the 250metre velodrome is installed in the JJB Sports building the college has only recently acquired, it would effectively be lost as a facility for the student body.
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A ballot was held last year in which students voted in favour of a proposal to each pay an additional €125 in their annual fees to facilitate the college’s plan to buy the building with the specific intention of using it for student sporting purposes.
However, such is the size of the building that even if the velodrome was installed, a range of impressive facilities would co-exist with the indoor track.
These include a 20-metre pool, four indoor soccer pitches, an international sized skating rink, two 5,000 sq metre gyms, plunge pools, saunas, 12 multipurpose fitness suites, eight badminton courts in the middle of the velodrome, 12,000 sq metres of vacant space for a range of new facilities and 550 car parking spaces.
It remains unclear if the student reps can be won over and if the union’s assertion that the velodrome plan would not go ahead without its consent is accurate.
Stickybottle understands progress is continuing in formulating the funding application that needs to be lodged to Government by February 28th to secure the money to build the track.
The three bodies teaming up on the project – Cuchulainn CC, Dundalk Institute of Technology and Cycling Ireland – met earlier today to work on that funding application.
However, those involved in the plan acknowledge the vote in the college was a step backwards and that the students’ views need to be respected.
The same sources believe a comprehensive effort would be made to engage with the students to assure them the velodrome would only take a portion of the new facility.
Attempts will also be made to convince the students that plans for the track would contribute to making the college a stand-out facility for sporting excellence, enhance the college’s reputation and improve its sporting facilities for students.
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