| London Velopark | |
|---|---|
Aerial view of London Velopark in June 2011 |
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| Location | A12, Leyton, London, England |
| Broke ground | 2009 |
| Built | 2009–2011 |
| Operator | Lee Valley Regional Park Authority[1] |
| Surface | Siberian pine |
| Construction cost | £105 million (velodrome only) |
| Architect | Hopkins Architects, Grant Associates |
| Structural engineer | Expedition Engineering |
| Services engineer | BDSP |
| Main contractors | ISG |
| Capacity | 6,000 (velodrome); 6,000 (BMX track) |
| Field dimensions | 250 metres |
| Tenants | |
| 2012 Summer Olympic Games | |
The London Velopark is a cycling centre which was built in Leyton in east London, United Kingdom. It will serve as one of the 'Big Five' permanent Olympic and Paralympic venues for the 2012 Games. The Velopark is situated at the northern end of London's Olympic Park. The Velopark features a Velodrome and BMX racing track, which will be used for the Games as well as having a one mile (1.6 km) road racing course and a mountain bike track.[2] The park replaces the Eastway Cycle Circuit which was demolished to make way for it. The facilities built for the Olympics were constructed between 2009 and 2011. The first event to be held in the Velopark was the London round of the 2011 UCI Supercross BMX World Cup series.
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In February 2005 plans were announced for a £22 million VeloPark. Sport England would invest £10.5 million, Lee Valley Regional Park Authority £6 million and the Major of London and Transport of London would invest £3 million and £2.5 million respectively. The site was to be 34 hectors on the northern end of the proposed Olympic Park, next to the A12. The park would include a Velodrome seating 1,500 people which would be increased to 6,000 if London's bid for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games was successful. In addition the site would also have an international competition BMX circuit, a BMX freestyle park, cyclo-cross/cross-country course mountain bike course and an outdoor cycle speedway track. The facilities would be used by international riders as well as those learning to ride. It was estimated that the park would attract 88,000 users a year, replacing the Eastway Cycle Circuit.[3][4][5] Eastway Cycle Circuit opened in 1975, it was the first purpose built road cycling venue in Britain.[6] The facility closed in September 2006 to make way for London's VeloPark.[7] The velodrome will become the third 250 m (270 yd) covered track in Great Britain.[8] In September 2008 plans for the VeloPark were revealed,[9] which were chosen with help from Chris Hoy.[10] However by March 2007, the VeloPark was revealed to be only a third of its original size, rescaled from 34 to 10 hectors.[11] The decrease in the size of the site led to users of the Eastway cycle circuit to protest to the Mayor of London.[12]
On 12 July 2007, the Olympic Delivery Authority announced the selection of the design team for the Velopark, comprising Hopkins Architects, Expedition Engineering, BDSP, and Grant Associates.[13] The Velopark is scheduled to be completed by the contractor, ISG,[14] in 2011. In 2004, during London's Olympic and Paralympic bid, the estimated cost was £37 million, including £20 million for the velodrome.
In 2009, at the time work began on the construction of the velodrome, the estimated cost of that facility alone was £105 million.[15] Work on the Velodrome was completed in February 2011.[16] The Velodrome was the first Olympic Park venue to be completed. The roof is designed to reflect the geometry of cycling as well as being lightweight and efficient reflecting a bike.[17] There is also a 360 degree concorse level with windows allowing people views of the Olympic Park. The Velodrome is energy efficient with rooflights reducing the need for artificial lights and natural ventilation reducing the need for air condition, rain water is also saved cutting the amount of water used. Designer Ron Webb who designed the Velodrome tracks for the Sydney and Athens Games was in charge of the design and installation of the track. The track was made with 56 km of Siberian Pine and 350,000 nails.[18]
The Velodrome was officially opened by many successful British athletes including Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton.[19] It is informally known as "The Pringle" due to its distinctive shape. It was shortlisted for the 2011 RIBA Stirling Prize.[20] and won the 2011 Structural Awards Supreme Award for Structural Engineering. The venue will be used for the first time in competition during the UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics in February 2012. The velodrome will also be used for the 2012 Paralympics.[21]
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The outdoor BMX racing track will also have a spectator capacity of 6,000. Work began on its construction in March 2011.[22] After the games the seating will be removed and the track will be reconfigured to accommodate all abilities.[1][22] The first competition on the venue was the test event for the Olympic Games, a round of the 2011 UCI Supercross BMX World Cup series.[22] The track for men is 470 metres long and features a berm jump, an S-bend transfer, a box jump and a rhythm section in the final straight. The women's course is 430 metres long featuring three jumps in the opening straight and a tunnel before like the men's including a rhythm section in the final straight. It has been called one of the most challenging BMX tracks to date.[23] The track also features an 8 metre high starting ramp and was designed by the UCI with the aim of pushing the boundaries of the sport. 14,000 cubic metres of soil was used to build the track.[24] After the Supercross world cup event, Shanaze Reade called for changes to the track. She stated that the track was on the limit if the wind changed. Sarah Walker echoed Reade's calls stating that the track could get ugly on a windy day.[24]
In preparation for the 2012 Summer Olympics, in 2010 the Dutch National Olympic Committee commissioned a replica of the planned BMX track at their National Sports Centre Papendal. It came into use in March 2011, ahead of the hand over of the London Velopark BMX venue.[25]
The Eastway Cycle Circuit was demolished for the VeloPark before being merged with the new park.[26] It was announced that along with the VeloPark there would be three new cycle circuits created around London.[27] In early February 2007 the plans at the VeloPark / Eastway cycle centre were revised with no mountain bike course.[28] By mid-February it was announced that Hog Hill would be the temporary relocation of the Eastway cycle centre.[27] The promised cycle speedway track will not be built.[29] In August 2011 it was announced that the road race course will be rerouted to allow more space and parkland after suggestions from Sport England and British Cycling. The course will now cross the River Lee and parkland linking up with other cycle routes in London.[30]
The London Development Agency (LDA) have funded a new permanent road cycle circuit and mountain bike course at the Redbridge Cycling Centre, costing £5m. The London Borough of Redbridge will be funding the facility up to the completion of the legacy London Velopark. Work is underway to identify an operator of Hog Hill beyond 2012.[31]
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