The proposed site map for the new Cuchulainn Cycling Park
Plans for a new cycling park and velodrome in Dundalk earned a significant boost this morning after Louth County Council agreed to a land disposal for the facility at Muirhevnamor Park at their monthly meeting at Co Louth Golf Club in Baltray.
Plans for the Cuchulainn Cycling Park first came about in 2010 when the locally-based Cuchulainn Cycling Club were celebrating their 75th anniversary.
Planning permission was secured in February 2013 and that December the now defunct Dundalk Town Council approved a 150-year lease of a 5.3 acre site located off Hoey’s Lane, adjacent to Muirhevnamor Community and Sports Centre.
The facility was to include a 250m Velodrome and BMX track, which was expected at the time to cost in the region of €2.5m, with the first two phases coming in at around €250,000 each.
Last February Cuchulainn’s plans changed slightly when they teamed up with Dundalk IT with a view to building the velodrome inside the former JJB facility at Dundalk Retail Park.
However, this was later shot down by students, who had agreed to co-fund the DkIT Sports Arena, which opened its doors in recent weeks.
That put the Muirhevnamor plan back on the agenda although in order to avail of grants, Cuchulainn needed to own the land which brought it back before the council today.
After a long debate, councillors voted by 18 votes to 10 to dispose of the land, with all bar the 10 Sinn Féin councillors consenting.
There’s still a long way to go for the dream of a velodrome in Dundalk to become a reality, of course, but this is a significant step.
Phase one of the project involves the erection of fencing, all associated site ground works and the construction of a BMX track. The second phase will then see the construction of the outdoor velodrome, with phase three – estimated at €2m – bringing about the erection of the roof on the velodrome.
While being planned by Cuchulainn Cycling Club, the facility would be available for use by clubs across the country with 11 of Ireland’s largest cycling clubs said to be located within 1.5 hours of Dundalk.
It is hoped the track will provide a training resource for elite athletes and will promote the sport of cycling with Cuchulainn planning to run special courses through its Cycling Ireland affiliated coaches.
The track will also play host to competitive events including underage, male and female racing.
Sinn Féin councillor Kevin Meenan has welcomed the news that Cuchulainn Cycling Club plan to build a new international standard cycling velodrome at the JJB facility in conjunction with Dundalk IT.
The news about the new velodrome, which will hopefully be opened by September, was announced yesterday, with Cllr Meenan describing it as a “tremendous boost” for the area.
In December Dundalk Town Council had promised a long term lease for 7.5 acres of land in Muirhevnamor Park for the Cuchulainn Cycling Park but the local cycling club’s decision to proceed with a revised plan in conjunction with the local IT means that the dream of a major centre for cycling in the area will happen sooner rather than later.
Cllr Meenan said: “This will be a tremendous boost to the area and hopefully will come to fruition earlier than originally thought when the velodrome was earmarked for Muirhevnamor
“The great news about this is that it could be completed and be up and running as early as September this year. It will be Olympic standard so the athletes will no longer have to leave the country to train, it will be right here in Dundalk, on our own doorstep.”
With 11 of Ireland’s largest cycling clubs located within 1.5 hours of Dundalk, it makes the town the ideal centre. In addition to the velodrome, the site will also accommodate a full sized BMX track and has the potential to incorporate a closed circuit cycling track around the perimeter.
“This is exciting news for Dundalk and the whole Muirhevnamor / Retail Park area,” said Cllr Meenan.
The JJB facility at Dundalk Retail Park, which will house the new velodrome
Cuchulainn Cycling Club have announced plans to build Ireland’s first international standard cycling velodrome in conjunction with Dundalk IT in their newly acquired JJB building at Dundalk Retail Park.
The plans for the indoor velodrome have been presented to Cycling Ireland, who are said to have welcomed the project, which is an updated version of Cuchulainn’s initial plans for a cycling park in nearby Muirhevnamor.
The JJB building was originally constructed to house 12 indoor soccer pitches, a swimming pool, gym, ice-rink and bar/restaurant complete with 500 car parking spaces. Dundalk IT started negotiations to purchase the building in 2013 and finally signed off on the contract last month.
Cuchulainn CC announced their plans to build a velodrome and cycling park in Dundalk as part of its 75th anniversary celebrations in 2010. A velodrome is an arena for cycling, similar in shape to an athletics track, except with steeply banked corners that allow cyclists to reach speeds in excess of 80kph. This style of cycling is very popular around the world with 10 of the 18 cycling events held in London 2012 being held on the track.
Towards the end of 2013 a huge leap forward was made with the securing of planning permission and long term lease from Dundalk Town Council for a 7.5 acre site at Muirhevnamor Park, adjacent to DKIT. However since then an improved possible vision has started to take shape and, in consultation with the builders of London’s Olympic Velodrome and chief engineer, Gary Sheils of Sheils Engineering, the possibility of building the indoor track at the JJB facility was discussed.
Specialists saw huge potential in the building and plans drawn up by Sheils Engineering uncovered an extremely lucky coincidence – that the building is the perfect size to contain an international standard 250m circumference track.
“It was almost as if the original architect had a long term plan to put a track in this building,” said Sheils upon completing his measurements.
Is this what the new velodrome building will look like?
Preliminary discussions with DKIT, owners of the building, took place and further investigations commissioned. The project was presented to Cycling Ireland, who immediately spotted the potential to realistically construct not only Ireland’s first international standard velodrome in an existing modern facility, but were also delighted to hear that a completion date of September 2014 has been set.
An indoor facility further expands the possible use of the facility to include children, women, elite athletes and for people with disabilities as well as general cycling enthusiasts. The safe, enclosed, traffic-free track is a perfect environment to introduce both the sport and in general safe commuting practices to both children and adults alike. Additionally, Ireland’s current elite athletes and para-athletes have to undertake regular international travel to find appropriate training venues in their quest to win world and Olympic medals, thus this facility will cut down on the cost of competing.
The sport is currently on the rise in Ireland with Olympian Martin Irvine winning a World Championship and Caroline Ryan also claiming a silver medal at the 2013 Worlds in the pursuit event.
Current World Scratch Champion Martyn Irvine has welcomed the project saying “not only is it fantastic news for a local club but for cycling in Ireland.”
He went on to say that this development will benefit cyclists of all ages for years to come and enable Ireland to put a sustainable track programme in place. Martyn is currently based in the US as there is no suitable facility for him to train in this country.
The velodrome will also be available to grass roots cycling and will attract cyclists of all ages from across the country and further afield. The venue will facilitate everything from local underage leagues to national championships and international races.
In addition to the velodrome, the site will also accommodate a full sized BMX track and has the potential to incorporate a closed circuit cycling track around the perimeter.
Pat O’Shaughnessy, Cuchulainn Cycling Club Chairman and Board Member of Cycling Ireland, has expressed his delight at the news.
He said: “Our club secretary Karl Dolan originally proposed the idea to the club committee back in 2009 as a project to mark the 75th anniversary of the club. We have been working solidly in the background to realise this dream and it culminated in our announcement last year that Dundalk Town Council had granted us 7.5 acres of land with full planning permission for an outdoor velodrome and BMX track.
“However following a number of meetings with DKIT we knew that this would move the whole thing to an entirely different level and make Dundalk the cycling capital of Ireland and it’s all down to the hard work of the committee and club members.”
There are also huge benefits for Dundalk IT. Having an international velodrome as part of their sporting campus would be a major coup for them and, in fact, would make them the world’s first educational institution to have such a facility. Its presence will further extend its already excellent sporting pedigree and range of sporting facilities open to attracting students. In conjunction with its sports medicine departments, the Institute could become the premier cycling facility in the world, which would attract many nations and professional cycling teams in their quest for yellow jerseys and gold medals.
Following the model which has been recently launched in conjunction with Dundalk FC in soccer, it is envisaged that scholarships could also be offered to cyclists.
Dundalk has in the past been described as an ideal venue for such a facility with 11 of Ireland’s 15 biggest cycling clubs located less than 1.5 hours from Dundalk.
The proposed site map for the new Cuchulainn Cycling Park
Cuchulainn Cycling Club have revealed that they hope to make a “major announcement” about their planned Cycling Park and Velodrome “in the coming days.”
In December Dundalk Town Council approved a 150-year lease of lands at Muirhevnamor for the proposed new facility, which would include a 250m Velodrome and BMX track.
Plans for the Cuchulainn Cycling Park first came about in 2010 as the club were celebrating their 75thanniversary.
Planning permission was secured in February 2013 and recently a 5.3 acre site was made available. It was to be located off Hoey’s Lane, adjacent to Muirhevnamor Community and Sports Centre.
The overall project is expected to cost in the region of €2.5m, although the first two phases will cost around €250,000 each.
Phase one involves the erection of fencing, all associated site ground works and the construction of a BMX track. The second phase will then see the construction of the outdoor velodrome, with phase three – estimated at €2m – is the erection of the roof on the velodrome.
While the roofing of the velodrome was the last phase, popular cycling website StickyBottle has suggested that the major announcement this week is believed to relate to a different project – one that would be indoors from the beginning.
It would also be in place considerably sooner than in three years time, as had been initially anticipated.
Furthermore, The Irish Times has reported that the velodrome may now be located within an existing building in the area. They claim it could even be in operation as soon as September.
If constructed, it would be the first velodrome in Ireland built to international specifications.
The proposed site map for the new Cuchulainn Cycling Park
Dundalk Town Council last night approved a 150-year lease of lands at Murihevnamor for a new Cycling Park.
The park, which is the brainchild of Cuchulainn Cycling Club, will include a 250m Velodrome and BMX track.
Plans for the Cuchulainn Cycling Park first came about in 2010 as the club were celebrating their 75th anniversary.
Planning permission was secured earlier this year and now a 5.3 acre site has been made available to turn what was once a dream into a reality.
If constructed, it would be the first velodrome in Ireland built to international specifications. It will be located off Hoey’s Lane, adjacent to Muirhevnamor Community and Sports Centre.
The overall project is expected to cost in the region of €2.5m, although the first two phases will cost around €250,000 each.
Phase one involves the erection of fencing, all associated site ground works and the construction of a BMX track. The second phase will then see the construction of the outdoor velodrome, with phase three – estimated at €2m – is the erection of the roof on the velodrome.
This latest step in turning Cuchulainn Cycling Club’s plans is timely with the Giro d’Italia set to come to Dundalk next May, where a hot sprint event will take place.
TV coverage of the event in the area has also been confirmed, with a feedzone pencilled in for Castlebellingham.
Talk of the Town 