“Entries for THE LOOP (8 July) and the CULLODEN CYCLE CHALLENGE (7 October) are now OPEN.  Simply press the red button on the corresponding event page here.  That will take you directly to the BC online entry system.”

REGIONAL SPORTS CENTRE LATEST

Highland Council’s ambitious plans for a major multi-sports addition to the existing complex at the Bught are currently the subject of a wide-ranging funding investigation.  The project includes a 250m. indoor velodrome plus strength & conditioning suite together with all-weather provision for athletics, gymnastics, judo and tennis.  Originally conceived as part of the Inverness City Region Deal (April 2016), delivery now depends on the scheme being included in the Council’s next Capital Plan which will be confirmed by November 2017.  The Council asked for assistance from the five headline sports to investigate additional potential sources of finance for the new facilities.  A Core Group of senior representatives (including HiVelo) has met several times since last December.  Their scoping report is expected to be submitted to the Council Leader during April.  Hopefully, it will form part of the new Council’s deliberations on future capital projects after May’s elections (see below).

LOBBYING FOR THE VELODROME

The proposed Regional Sports Centre is crucial to our ambitions to grow every branch of cycling here in the North of Scotland for the benefit of future generations.   The velodrome and associated facilities will provide a safe all-weather training and fitness venue for enjoyment by riders of every type and persuasion.  It will fundamentally improve our sport by dispensing with the requirement for Highlanders to make long and expensive journeys south to ride on tracks which are already over-subscribed.  It will open up new experiences and opportunities for our young people in particular.  The new Highland centre will fix a longstanding regional ‘black hole’ in the map of Scottish sports performance facilities, putting us at long last on a par with other city-regions.

The financial outlook is seriously constrained.  The Highlands need investment to meet the wide-ranging needs of the whole community.  That requires a balance of projects –schools, roads, affordable housing, social care AND leisure projects - where and when suitable opportunities arise.  There are sound economic reasons why such capital investment for the future needs to be prioritised in times of austerity.

New Council elections will take place in early May 2017.  It is vital that all cyclists and indeed other sports people exercise their voting rights to ensure that forward-thinking representatives are returned as our Councillors.  All the candidates will shortly be vying for your support.  Please make it your business to find out who is standing in your local constituency.  Write or better still speak to each candidate and ask whether they will support the Regional Sports Centre project going ahead.  DO VOTE and use it appropriately.

NEW WEBSITE

Look out for our new improved HiVelo website which we expect to launch by Summer 2017.