April 5/02 10:54 am - Burnaby Track Woes, Jeanson Wins in Tucson

Posted by Editor on 04/5/02
 

Burnaby Track in Trouble

It appears that, barring a miracle, the Burnaby track is about to become history. On Monday (April 8), Burnaby city council will vote to approve a staff recommendation to extend the B.C. Volleyball Association's lease of the Harry Jerome Sports Centre, where the velodrome is situated. The volleyball association has indicated that it plans to replace the cycling track with indoor beach volleyball courts.

The track has hada rollercoaster financial history since its inception, including bringing Cycling BC to the point of teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. The B.C. Volleyball Association lease was initially seen as a welcome infusion of cash, but lately there has been infighting between the associations as Volleyball pushes to expand its 'footprint' in the facility. The Burnaby Council has also proven to be less then enthusiastic at supporting track cycling. The City of Burnaby's anticipated decision to award the lease to the volleyball association follows six months of lobbying by the Burnaby Velodrome Club and Cycling B.C. to save the track.

"We have a viable business plan for a multi-use facility that would allow volleyball and cycling to coexist and turn a profit," said David Schneider, a vice-president of Cycling B.C. "I think if council takes a close look at it, they'd see that our proposal is a great win-win solution."

"We hope that Burnaby council will consider the local, regional and national implications of closing this unique Olympic training facility," said Schneider. He added that the national team uses the velodrome for its winter training, and that the Canadian Cycling Association fully supports the Burnaby Velodrome Club/Cycling B.C. proposal.

"The CCA is eager to establish a National Development Centre at Harry Jerome," said national team coach Eric Van den Eynde. "If the City of Burnaby were to give its approval, we could open the development centre, along with its revenue-generating programs, very quickly."

The Harry Jerome Sports Centre velodrome, which is located at 7564 Barnet Highway, Burnaby, opened in 1997. Seed financing was provided by Cycling B.C., and Burnaby Velodrome Club members built the 200m wooden cycling track. The track hosts more than 25 local, national and international races each year. Elite cyclists who have trained and raced at the Burnaby facility include Olympic silver medallist and Pan-Am Games gold medallist Brian Walton, former World Champion and Olympian Tanya Dubnicoff and Olympian Lori-Ann Muenzer. The Burnaby facility is the only four-season covered track facility in North America.

You can send a message to the City of Burnaby at: postmaster@city.burnaby.bc.ca. To send it directly to the Mayor, mark your e-mail: Attention Mayor Doug Drummond.


Classique cycliste de Tucson

Geneviève Jeanson s'empare du maillot jaune

Montréal, le 5 avril 2002 (Sportcom) - Geneviève Jeanson a dû vaincre les rafales de vents pour remporter la première étape de la Classique cycliste de Tucson, présentée vendredi en Arizona.

" Les conditions n'étaient pas idéales mais je me sentais bien, " a déclaré Jeanson, qui détient le maillot jaune après l'épreuve contre la montre disputée sur un parcours de 5,2 kilomètres.

La compétition se poursuit samedi matin avec la présentation de la deuxième étape. Les cyclistes devront compléter trois tours d'un circuit de 33,6 kilomètres.