As background, last year the Government announced plans to work with partners to develop a national cycling centre of excellence.
The tender process saw SPARC announce Waikato/Bay of Plenty as the preferred tenderer ahead of Auckland and Manawatu. Just the mere mention of the word excellence suggests that this would only be for elite athletes but this is not just about a velodrome for aspiring Olympians - this is also a community facility designed to serve the hundreds of thousands of recreational cyclists, and while I love Tauranga this facility is perfectly suited to be situated in Cambridge.
The government has put $7 million towards a $28 million dollar project, probably not enough but that is another story and the remainder is hopefully to be raised through applications to local councils, gaming trusts corporates and sponsorship.
The Waikato Regional Council is considering whether to contribute $6 million - raised by levying the region's ratepayers - towards the national cycling centre of excellence and velodrome on land at St Peter's School, Cambridge.
Things have started to heat up as the Waikato Regional Council went to special public consultation over the $6 million requested which would effectively be an additional $3.18 per annum for the next 20 years.
Less than the cheapest adult ticket to the Waikato Stadium to see the All Blacks in the RWC.
The analysis of the almost 7000 submissions received shows a 60-40 split against ratepayers backing the velodrome, but new polling puts the split at 44 per cent in favour with 46 per cent against. It demonstrates just how divisive issues can become.
I read some of the submissions. There was a general sentiment to those who were opposed and I did take umbrage when it described the trustees of the HOC as arrogant, selfish and elitist.
Well let me tell you that the trustees are anything but. I know Sarah Ulmer and Rob Waddell and while all sports people may at some time be considered selfish I'd prefer to call it focused, there is no way arrogant or elitist would be appropriate descriptions of these two who were fine athletes in their day but more importantly fine people today.
The same for the other trustees, and all the people involved in the working groups who have volunteered hours of their time, energy and expertise because they believe in the merits of this project.
The trust is entitled to seek funding from the regional council, local and regional councils have more responsibility under the Local Government Act than rubbish, roads and sewerage. Their plans recognise four community outcomes that include economic, social, cultural and environmental, and the Home of Cycling meets many of those objectives.
We all understand these are difficult times and have always had that in mind.
In fact, timing couldn't have been worse for embarking on an ambitious and progressive project.
But just because over the Kaimais the V8s and the Waikato Stadium have and continue to be a debt burden to the city doesn't mean that every future project will follow the same path and given the additional scrutiny is unlikely to. The world can't stand still and this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, gone today gone forever.
At the end of the day we are all entitled to our own opinion and we might just choose to agree to disagree. So often debates become personal and nasty. It would be easy to criticise the certain demographic that is so often opposed to any capital project but that would be rude and arrogant.
Whatever the outcome, we will accept it with good grace and I will be grateful that there are passionate, driven, determined individuals who will, against all odds, continue to make things happen.
