Hi,

I know this is a MTB site but hoping some of you will pick this up and help out as part of the wider cycling family.

For about 2 years we have been busy working to resurrect the old Cheltenham BMX track. We’ve raised over £75,000 so far to do this but due to an issue over landownership between the council and severn trent we’ve had to look for a different location. As luck would have it a near perfect location has arisen due to a chance discussion – the site is next to established sporting facilities and is already floodlit, the current leaseholders who use it as a rugby practice ground need to get rid of the lease as they won’t have need for it as they have obtained a grant to develop floodlighting on their main sports ground – this is where we step in.

However the council aren’t sure how much of a valuable addition a BMX track will be (bear in mind the nearest track to Cheltenham is either Hereford, Redditch or Bristol – all about 40miles away).

We need your support to show the local council this will be a valuable addition to the sporting facilities in the area. If you are local or ride BMX and would like to show your support please can you email andrew north, Cheltenham Borough Council’s Chief Exec and let him know. (Email for Andrew North: chiefexecutive@cheltenham.gov.uk)

If we don’t get the go ahead then we are likely to lose the grants we have obtained which will effectively scupper our plans.

Cheers

Barnaby
Cheltenham BMX Club Committee.

This is an example of what is being sent:

Dear Mr North,

On the back of our great sporting successes at the Olympics and also Bradley Wiggins’ great Tour de France victory, I believe that it’s now time to establish a fine BMX racing cycling facility in Cheltenham, for young people to enjoy and excel.

The Cheltenham & County Cycling Club have secured a grant of £75,000 from various sport funding bodies and were all set to re-develop the old Arle Road site, until ownership issues of a section of the land scuppered the plans

Now there appears to be a new possibility of the land at Pittville Park, adjacent north of the Prince of Wales stadium Sports Field, becoming host to a BMX race track facility. This would allow young BMX cyclists to compete frequently during spring, summer and autumn evenings, being able to host regional league events. This would give young people an opportunity to emulate their Olympic heroes & heroines right on their doorstep and even maybe become one themselves.

There are experienced volunteers currently available who are ready and eager to run these BMX competition events, already well versed having run a successful BMX league in Plymouth, but who are now resident here in Cheltenham. This facility, once open, is going to be just as busy as the rugby or athletics if not more so. It will take youths off the streets and give them something cool to be involved in, get them fit and healthy.

Therefore, I strongly urge you to support the construction of a BMX competition track to be built at this new location.

Best Regards,

I was gonna email you direct but no email in profile.

Just to throw you a curve ball (you may already be well aware): An indoor bmx / skate / scoot venue is due to open in Stroud in Feb 2013, its in an industrial unit with a lot of free space beside and around it (or gain access to another of the vacant units and race indoors!), it could/would make an ideal complement to the indoor venue and could really work to put the whole bmx scene in Glos on the map. Contact rush.skatepark@facebook.com if your interested.

Qwerty – my email is barnt at hotmail dot com

Our grants are focused on Cheltenham but I’ll raise it with the committee as a plan B. Cheers.

Qwerty – thanks for the email.

I’m not (that) local, and don’t ride BMX, but this new track would likely be the quickest to take mini a-racer to from here (a toss up between there and Redditch I guess) – I presume you’d welcome support from people outside Cheltenham?

If you’d take advantage and/or believe it would be a welcome addition to the countries cycling infrastructure then your support is welcome

bump..
please send those emails.

Bump – more emails please.

Story from todays paper

http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/BMX-track-come-Pittville/story-17050173-detail/story.html