The Velodrome Part #2: Has the Province Done Its Homework?

"What do Mississauga, Vaughn, and Hamilton know that we don't? Or what do we in Milton know that the others don't?"

A friend of mine asked me these questions as we waited for a Special Council Meeting to begin on the Velodrome.   We didn't know the answers then, but they're starting to come out now.  Last week Paul Henderson- Olympic Sailor, and lobbyist for Toronto's failed 1996 Olympic Bid, came out with a warning that he thought the Games would come in over budget.  He is now among critics who think the Games' budget could come out over its $1.4 billion budget.


Milton has definitely done its homework on this project.  My guess is Town Staff has checked the numbers many times trying to figure how this would work without impacting the tax base. And it likely will work with the support of Mattamy and their private partners.  But just because Milton has done its homework, and due diligence in having a project that won't impact the tax base, doesn't mean other levels of government have done theirs.

And perhaps that's what Mississauga, Vaughn, and Hamilton know that we don't.  Maybe they've realized that a certain provincial government having trouble balancing its books, hasn't.  Maybe the other municipalities have realized the province has failed to take into account the need for extra public transit between venues, or venues that have been moved, or roads that need to be built/ closed down for transporting the athletes.  And they want no part of it; who can blame them? Usually when the Province errs, it's the municipality that ends up paying the price.

I'm still in favour of the velodrome.  I support it as an idea that would turn the spotlight on Milton in a positive way.  But when someone like Paul Henderson with his credibility says the Games could turn out to be over budget maybe we should pause and listen.  Maybe it's time to question the Province on its finances for the Games; How are we going to pay for the additional transit? (Milton still only has rush hour Go service), Are you going to be able to afford the needed university campus? and if so will it be "shovel-ready" by 2015.  What about the cost to provincial roads?  Has that been taken into account?

Henderson's comments on the Pan Am games make me wonder if the Province has done its homework on its portion of the budget.  I think the time has come for someone to ask.

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.