TrackCycling.ie

Cuchalainn Cycling Club have announced an ambitious plan to build a Cycling Stadium to cater for Track Cycling, BMX, Cyclocross and MTB.

Cuchulainn Cycling Club launched its 75th Anniversary celebrations with a bang on Friday last in the Park Hotel, Dundalk. With over 160 guests in attendance the club outlined its plans for the season, the centrepiece of which is the proposal to build an Outdoor Amenity Park and Cycling Velodrome in the greater Dundalk area. One only needs to look to the UK where a velodrome built in Manchester for the 2002 Commonwealth Games had such a knock on effect that by 2008 British Cycling picked up a record nine gold medals in Beijing and cycling in the country has seen huge increases in the numbers of people on the roads.

This will be the first cycling track to be built in Ireland in over fifty years. The development is the first of it's kind as it will provide for a variety of cycling disciplines including, Track Racing, Mountain Biking, Cyclo Cross & BMX racing, as well as multi purpose facilities for other events such as running, skate boarding and roller blading.

Local Architects and club members Derek McEnteggart and Bernard Dowdall have come up with a concept design that will also include wide open green spaces that will be of use to all in the community incorporating children's play and picnic areas, and top class racing on small circuits makes for an excellent spectator sport. More details can be found on www.cuchulainncyclingpark.com. 

Martin Bellew, Chairman of Dundalk Town Council speaking at the launch said "this was a very exciting project for the Town and would help build on the proud heritage of cycling in the Dundalk area".

Additionally he went on to say "members of the Council would fully support the park and would provide as much help as they could". Also present at the launch were a number of Town Engineers, Catherine Duff, a Senior Engineer with Dundalk Town Council, was very impressed with the project and has invited representatives from the club to a meeting with senior planners from Dundalk Council to see how best to proceed as she feels the project ties in with there plans for a submission to the Smarter Travel Project Fund. A cycling park of this nature will help to establish Dundalk as the Cycling Capital of Ireland with a strong cycling culture, backed up with a good road infrastructure, urban cycle lanes and the huge natural resources of the Cooley Mountains.

Club chairman Pat O'Shaughnessy also speaking at the launch said "We want to develop a cycling park that will introduce the sport to this and future generations, as well as providing the people of Dundalk with a top class sporting facility, something that has never been done in Ireland in the past".  

Also speaking at the launch was the club's Youth Development Officer Sé Weston. Sé spoke of the importance of sport in children's lives and outlined plans for an introduction to cycling course. This course will provide assistance and demonstrations for those new to cycle, thereby giving them the skills to ride safely on the roads. 

All in all it plans to be a very exciting year for the club and the 75th anniversary will be celebrated in style. With the enthusiasm of the club's members and support from local and national governing bodies Dundalk looks set to become Ireland's cycling capital with infrastructure and participation to rival other great cycling hot spots world wide such as San Francisco or Sydney.

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