Wednesday 30 March 2016

Active Dorset Set to Run Bournemouth Track


From April 2016 the administration of Bournemouth Track is being handed over to Active Dorset in partnership with Bournemouth Council. Opened in 2011, the track has been run by Bournemouth Cycling Centre Ltd who have overseen the establishment of a busy summer schedule of usage as well as building up a fleet of over 40 bikes and other equipment. The current website and booking contact addresses carrying all the relevant news and information is to be used and fully maintained through the coming season until replaced by Active Dorset.
Alan McRae of BCC Ltd said “It has been a very exciting period and the whole cycling community can be proud of what has been achieved from absolute scratch. Every summer has seen regular Club bookings and the weekly Track League and, if there is a measure of the work put in by so many volunteers, then it is the five local young riders who are now part of British Cycling’s Rider Development Programme for U18s. This just could not have happened without the track in place and the club coaches supporting them through their introduction to track cycling.”
Behind the change is British Cycling’s requirement for more involvement from the Local Authority.
McRae says
“We held discussions with Active Dorset who have now adopted the same defined objectives in respect of developing cycling at the Centre as BCC Ltd had so we are delighted to hand on our assets to them. Active Dorset have a great background in sport development, next on our shopping list was a set of transponders and permanently installed system to monitor riders’ laps and a new Workshop and Store located outside the track fence in the home straight and we wish Active Dorset every success in the further development of the facility. There has been extremely positive dialogue around the future of the cycle track transfer, including assets, between the directors of BCC Ltd, Active Dorset and Bournemouth Borough Council. Operating the track in partnership with Active Dorset (County Sports & Physical Activity Partnership) is an exciting prospect and having their involvement is a real positive.”

Speaking on behalf of Bournemouth Borough Council and Active Dorset, Paul Mitchell added “I would wish to place on record on behalf of Bournemouth Borough Council that we are extremely grateful for vast amount of work that has been done by all concerned with Bournemouth Cycling Centre Ltd, clubs, coaches and volunteers. Moving forward, we hope that many of those individuals will still continue to feel very much part of the revised set up as we look to a continued bright future for the facility. There will be a Community Use Agreement in place which is an arrangement between British Cycling and the Council. It covers how the facility will operate, including matters as hours of availability, programme of use, management arrangements etc. A steering group, representative of all clubs and users of the track, is integral to the agreement and we see this group as an excellent and fit for purpose forum for all suggestions and issues to be discussed.”
The 2016 Bournemouth Track league runs weekly on Tuesday evenings from early May to late July. In addition to the racing league, local clubs Bournemouth Arrow, Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers & Poole Wheelers all hold weekly training sessions at the track. Visit the Bournemouth Track WEBSITE

To find out more about ACTIVE DORSET visit their website HERE

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