A Cleveland nonprofit that has spent four years laying the tracks for an indoor “velodrome” — a custom-built, banked bicycle track — in the city is moving closer to making its goal a reality.
Fast Track Cycling Inc. announced that it has entered into a real estate purchase option agreement with the city of Cleveland to acquire a vacant nine-acre site formerly occupied by St. Michael Hospital in Slavic Village.
Brett Davis, president of the board of Fast Track Cycling, said the purchase price is $385,000. Fast Track Cycling has a one-year option on the land that could be followed by a one-year extension of that option, Mr. Davis said.
Fast Track Cycling plans to develop and operate a $6.5 million indoor recreational facility that would include a velodrome. The nonprofit's mission is to support track cycling and other recreational opportunities, to offer youth programming and to promote health and wellness. Fast Track says there are about 25 velodromes nationwide, but only two others — in California and Colorado — indoors.
Current plans are to construct a 150,000-square-foot, air-supported dome structure that would house a 250-meter wood track, 75,000 square feet of turf field and 20,000 square feet of sport court, among other amenities.
But there's still a lot of work to do.
Mr. Davis said the nonprofit will spend the next six to 12 months working on fundraising for the project. Fast Track Cycling is seeking naming rights sponsors, corporate sponsors, foundation grants, federal/state/local grants and charitable donations from the cycling community.
To assist in fundraising, it has retained the services of Cleveland-based Sports Facilities Marketing Group, Mr. Davis said.
Fast Track Cycling so far has been financed by a $30,000 grant from Civic Innovation Lab and other donations totaling $7,000, while another $45,000 has been pledged for the capital campaign.
Other partners in the project are Edward Howard (public relations), GPD Associates (project engineer) and Vocon Partners (project architect).
Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson said in a statement that the proposed cycling center “will cast a new light on Slavic Village by generating a sense of pride with benefits that will include job creation, business opportunities, health benefits and more.”
Mr. Davis said Fast Track Cycling was formed in 2006. In the last year, he said, it focused on site selection for the project. Two sites in Summit County were considered, he said, but the group's preference was to find a site in Cleveland.
Marie Kittredge, executive director of Slavic Village Community Development Corp., introduced the group to the former St. Michael site, which is at McBride Avenue and Broadway Avenue, southeast of the intersection of East 49th Street and Broadway. Mr. Davis said it has excellent freeway access, and the nine-acre site offers plenty of space for parking, which was an important consideration.
(Source: http://snipr.com/u7jmx)