Milton's Velodrome Quest

I've been following the Velodrome saga for a while.  I did some reporting for Hamilton's Open File website, and in following affairs in the steel city, watched parts of a committee meeting on their attempts to nail down city funding for the project.  As we all know by now Hamilton city council failed to approve the required money.  As the saying goes; whenever one door closes, another opens.

When Milton was first talking about bidding for it I was skeptical.  I was convinced the Toronto bid team were just playing municipalities off against each other in an effort to get what they wanted from Hamilton.   In reading the report, I'm here today to say it looks like I was wrong.  Milton is serious about this, and has gotten some serious money on the table from top private donors; I've been told there are some in town who see this as a money making opportunity.  If it can be done with minimal impact to the tax base, then more power to them


The more I keep reading about it, the more I'm excited about it.  Among the suggested sites for it is the likely future Milton Education Village out at the corner of  Tremaine Rd, and Derry.  And it's got Wilfrid Laurier University's  full backing.  The University realizes the potential uses of the velodrome as a multi-use facility  to live on well after the Games. Should the velodrome go ahead, it will mean the certain approval for Wilfrid Laurier to begin work on its Milton Campus; a major change for this community.

Should Milton be successful it would put us on the map, as not just the town southwest of Toronto.  Instead it would become the cycling capital of Canada, and a headquarters to the Ontario Cycling Association.  The association looks upon this as a legacy that might not occur again in Canada's most populated area for decades.  And indeed, this is a chance of a lifetime, and it's taken guts to after it.  That's something I applaud Council for; it's been a while since an idea from any level of government has caught my imagination.  But a caution; for every one person such as myself, there are others who are a little bit more cynical, and see the weaknesses in it.

However despite the positive vibes, and energy coming from Milton on this it I don't think it's over.  Hamilton could be gearing up for a fight; Councilor McHattie would like to see the City continue its quest for the velodrome.  According to the motion seen here, he feels the city could raise an additional $5 million through the sale of lands in the West Harbour area of the city. It hasn't yet been before council, and in reading the blog, there's no guarantee it will be, but the idea is there  Milton could be in for a fight, but it's winnable.