'Save the Velodrome’
An alliance of residents and cyclists has been formed to save a former Olympic stadium from closure. The Herne Hill Velodrome is the oldest cycling track in the country and the home of the 1948 Olympic Cycling Championships. But now it faces closure due to deterioration and lack of funding. There is no alternative track in London for the hundreds of children who ride and race there. In the past, that has included Bradley Wiggins, the three-time Olympic gold medalist, who began his competitive cycling career at Herne Hill.
The Campaign is the brainchild of Hillary Peachey, a local resident whose children use the site regularly. She says, “It seems shameful that, with 2012 approaching, London cannot even sustain the facilities it has. That is why we are calling on Londoners as a whole to save this precious resource.”
The Campaign kicks off with a public meeting at Dulwich College at 7.30 pm on
Wednesday 6th October. But Londoners are asked to register their support on www.savethevelodrome.com or www.facebook.com/savethevelodrome
Campaigners aim to secure the future of the site and make it a viable long-term facility for all, including local residents and schools. Hillary adds, “We are going to find a viable, sustainable and environmentally sensitive solution. The only given is that dit must be cycling-led, inclusive and work for the entire community.”