Cath Cheatley says a covered velodrome offers a huge range of community opportunities.
Cath Cheatley says a covered velodrome offers a huge range of community opportunities.
Picture this: A former professional international cyclist is coaching a Para-cyclist who has no hands; young adults with disabilities are taking part in an exercise programme; and Sonny Bill Williams is watching from the grandstand.
The rest of the Blues rugby team is eating a catered lunch after working outin the gym and former New Zealand cycling coaches Dayle Cheatley and Tim Carswell are on their bikes, training for a team event at the national championships.
Cath Cheatley, who was the coach of the Para-cyclist, says all this happened in just one session at Avantidrome, the national cycling centre in Cambridge.
The former professional cyclist and teacher, now living back in her hometown Whanganui with husband Dayle, has worked on community programmes at Avantidrome and is keen to see Whanganui offer similar opportunities at the Cooks Gardens velodrome.
"It's about making more community use of something that's already there by roofing the facility," Cheatley said.
"In Cambridge the Wheels in Motion programme has kids and young adults with disabilities exercising on trikes in the centre of the facility. There are also sessions for the elderly and for rehabilitation from hip and knee surgery in a safe and warm environment.
"At the same time there are mums with bubs in pushchairs who go around the concourse where there are exercise stations set up for them.
"The corporate challenge events are really big in Cambridge and the schools programme has really grown with kids racing every Friday."
Cheatley says the venue is so popular it can be difficult to make a booking for popular timeslots and some young cyclists have moved to Invercargill, which also has a covered velodrome, so they can get track time.
However, Cheatley said high performance cycling is only a small part of the facility's use.
"The cool thing for me from working in Cambridge has been the growth in the kids having fun, riding bikes and the community spirit amongst them. Most of them had never ridden before and it's a safe environment for them to learn to ride.
"The thing I'm most proud of is the number of girls taking part. Sometimes we had more girls than boys. I'd love to see programmes for little kids as well. You could start them at 2 or 3 years old on balance bikes then as they got older they could move on to pump tracks then riding on the velodrome track."
Cambridge's Avantidrome caters to the community as well as elite cyclists.
A covered velodrome is a tourist attraction in its own right, she said.
"You wouldn't believe how many people went into the Cambridge facility just to have a look. They love it when you give them some facts and figures about what's happening there and they can see so many activities going on."
