Velodrome | ? | ? | Planning

[BCTed]

Originally Posted by CaptainKirk

Four new universities?

Toronto already has four, K-W two, Ottawa two...How about a new one located in downtown Hamilton?

Which four are in Toronto? I count three...

[CaptainKirk]

Originally Posted by BCTed

Which four are in Toronto? I count three...

Ryerson
York
UofT
OCAD (might this be the missing one? http://www.ocadu.ca/)

List of Ontario universities http://www.ouac.on.ca/unilinks/

[SteelTown]

Silent funder might inflate velodrome hopes

http://www.thespec.com/news/local/ar...elodrome-hopes

A major funding boost is putting Hamilton back in the race for the Pan Am velodrome, say cycling supporters.

The Spectator has learned a private corporation is willing to make a major financial commitment to the indoor cycling oval. While officials remain tight-lipped and have yet to make a public announcement, sources suggest the funding injection would be large enough to breathe new life into Hamilton’s campaign to land the world-class cycling facility.

“All I can say is it would be a sizeable help if it comes through,” said Gord Singleton, a former cycling world champion who joined the local velodrome fundraising campaign in the fall.

Singleton said he’s been told not to discuss the source or amount of the mystery money, but Hamilton Mayor Bob Bratina said in a radio interview Friday an “interested prospective partner” has surfaced and “several million dollars is being talked about.”

“We’re not out of the game yet in regards to the velodrome,” he said in the interview.

That was news to Milton Councillor Mike Cluett.

Pan Am officials appeared to rule out Hamilton as a velodrome site earlier this month when they announced Milton as the preferred host pending the signing of a funding agreement by Jan. 24.

“Milton will have to decline (the velodrome) before Hamilton would ever be considered,” said Cluett via email. “Mayor Bratina now realizes that with all (council’s) dithering around they lost the opportunity … Hamilton had many opportunities but didn’t get the job done.”

The Spectator couldn’t reach a Pan Am official Tuesday to comment on whether a beefed-up Hamilton bid would be considered.

Hamilton started out as the preferred velodrome location but lost that status in October after Pan Am officials rejected the city’s $5-million offer towards a facility that could cost $45 million.

Milton plans to commit even less taxpayer cash to the facility, but has announced close to $9 million in private pledges from firms and foundations headed by Mattamy Homes president Peter Gilgan.

Singleton said he thought the secret funding boost under discussion locally could “swing the momentum back” to Hamilton, noting the Milton bid and funding sources aren’t finalized.

News of the funding boost had yet to widely circulate at City Hall Tuesday. Several councillors said they were unaware the extra funding had been secured, while others said they weren’t pleased to learn of the project’s resurrection.

“I believe this unaffordable velodrome is an unfortunate expense and cost to the residents of Hamilton,” said Councillor Sam Merulla. “Milton is geographically close enough for Hamilton residents to access without having to spend $5 million.”

The Spectator couldn’t reach Bratina Tuesday for additional information about the mystery funding. His chief of staff, Peggy Chapman, said the mayor wouldn’t be available for an interview until January.

Mark Chamberlain, the chair of the fundraising cabinet, didn’t respond to requests for an interview Tuesday. Vocal campaign cabinet member Andrew Iler wouldn’t confirm or deny the donation report, but said the group hasn’t given up on winning the velodrome and continues to chase donations big and small.

The fundraising cabinet, which includes several high-profile cyclists such as Singleton, Curt Harnett and Clara Hughes, announced earlier this month it had raised more than $1 million through smaller donations.

[Vod_Kann]

I personally don't think the city is going to touch this unless the $40 million price tag goes down

[SteelTown]

Hamilton too late to recoup velodrome:

http://www.thespec.com/news/local/ar...drome-mcmeekin

Hamilton can’t buy its way back into the Pan Am velodrome race with mystery millions, says Liberal cabinet minister Ted McMeekin.

Sources told The Spectator last week a private corporation is willing to make a multimillion-dollar commitment to a permanent indoor cycling oval in Hamilton — even though Pan Am officials recently announced Milton as the facility host.

Milton has until Jan. 24 to sign a binding agreement to help fund the facility, which could cost up to $45 million.

“I guess if it doesn’t work out in Milton, everything is back on the table,” said McMeekin, the Minister of Agriculture and MPP for Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale. “But the Pan Am people have been pretty clear Milton has been selected as the (velodrome) site. Clearly, the Pan Am people have moved on.”

Unless Milton backs out, McMeekin said he didn’t know how new mystery funding could help Hamilton’s cause “after the horses have left the barn.”

Hamilton was originally the preferred site for the cycling venue, but lost that status after Pan Am officials rejected the city’s $5 million offer towards building costs. A local fundraising group has continued collecting pledges and lobbying government to build in Hamilton and, in a recent year-end radio interview, Mayor Bob Bratina cited a deep-pocketed “prospective partner” for a local velodrome.

The mayor of Milton figures that effort is too little and too late.

“Where was that interest a few weeks ago? Seems pretty late in the game,” Gordon Krantz said of Hamilton’s behind-the-scenes manoeuvring.

Krantz acknowledged that Milton’s offer could still fall through. His council is set to consider a business plan for the velodrome on Jan. 23 — the day before the Pan Am deadline for finalizing an agreement. The town of close to 90,000 is also waiting for the provincial go-ahead for a satellite university campus that Milton politicians want to pair with the velodrome.

But even if Milton retracts its bid, there’s no guarantee Hamilton will get another crack at the cycling oval. Krantz said Pan Am officials have told him they would consider building a temporary velodrome on Toronto’s port lands if Milton doesn’t commit to a permanent facility.

“I don’t think anyone is enthusiastic about that idea,” he said. “I’m hoping we can make (a permanent indoor facility) happen.”

Milton has its own private benefactor, Mattamy Homes president Peter Gilgan, who has offered $9 million in donations and cash for naming rights.

But the town would have to find at least that much money again to cover the 44 per cent municipal portion of velodrome building costs, estimated by Infrastructure Ontario at between $35 million and $45 million.

[SteelTown]

Velodrome update coming soon: Bratina

http://www.thespec.com/news/local/ar...g-soon-bratina

City council could hear the details of a mystery Pan Am velodrome proposal from local fundraisers in the next few days, Mayor Bob Bratina said Monday.

Sources told The Spectator in late December that a private corporation is willing to make a multimillion-dollar commitment to a permanent indoor cycling oval in Hamilton — even though Pan Am officials recently announced Milton as the facility host.

Milton has until Jan. 24 to sign a binding agreement to help fund the facility, which could cost up to $45 million.

Bratina, who alluded to a local benefactor in a year-end radio interview, told councillors at Monday’s general issues committee meeting a “serious proposal may be coming forward in the next day or two.”

The mayor didn’t elaborate on the source or amount of the mystery money, other than to say it’s “significant.”

If the proposal comes together, he said, the local campaign cabinet formed in October will advise council this week. The Spectator couldn’t reach a representative from the fundraising group Monday.

Pan Am officials announced late last year that Milton has replaced Hamilton as the site of the indoor cycling venue, pending a binding agreement. Milton Mayor Gordon Krantz told The Spectator he believed his council would have to decline the velodrome before Hamilton could get back in the race.

But in answer to councillors’ questions, Bratina said Hamilton has never been officially “excluded” from the velodrome bidding process by Games organizers.

“Milton is making some statements about where they feel they are in the process … but it’s not up to Milton, it’s up to (Pan Am organizers) to make a final decision,” he said.

[matt602]

The Pan Am people seem kind of all over the place with this thing... I'm not even sure what to think any more. One minute they're saying we're not the preferred location any more but we're still in the game, the next week they're saying that we couldn't possibly buy our way back into it.

I'm guessing at this point it's just gonna take a funding commitment that can best Milton's (and probably by a lot).

[LikeHamilton]

Hamilton velodrome proposal still to come?
Hamilton Spectator
1/10/2012

Just like a cycling race, the Velodrome issue is coming around again.

Hamilton Mayor Bob Bratina has told council that a “serious proposal may be coming forward in the next day or two.”

The Mayor told CHML's Bill Kelly just before Christmas that a local investor with "deep pockets" would likely be making a committment.

Milton, however, is the front runner according to Pan Am Games officials.

It has until January 24th to sign a binding agreement to help fund the facility, which could cost up to $45 million.

[SteelTown]

It'll have to be a lot of money to make the Pan Am organizers change their mind from Milton to Hamilton.

[markbarbera]

Didn't Milton have a Jan 24 deadline to sign a binding agreement on financing the velodrome? Did this happen?

[SteelTown]

Apparently the deadline for Milton got extended for a week.

[SteelTown]

Make velodrome a go, Milton officials urge council

http://www.thespec.com/news/business...s-urge-council

Milton city officials are urging councillors to cross the finish line in the race for a pricey Pan Am velodrome.

The staff recommendation and long-awaited business plan was made public this afternoon in advance of the town’s Monday council meeting.

Officials with the 2015 Pan Am Games had given the town until the end of January to commit to pay for 44 per cent of the indoor cycling track, which could cost as much as $45 million to build. Council will vote on the staff recommendation Monday.

The staff report recommends council go ahead with the controversial facility, provided Pan Am agrees to cap the total construction amount at $40 million and allow the town to negotiate naming rights.

A business plan from Sierra Planning and Management, the same consultant used by Hamilton in its velodrome bid, convinced Milton staff the velodrome “will have no incremental impact on the Milton taxpayer.”

Hamilton gave up its status as the preferred site for the velodrome in the fall after Pan Am rejected a $5-million offer towards building costs by city council. A local fundraising group continues to take pledges toward the facility, however.

The town proposes to put close to $4 million toward building costs and at least $10 million is expected to come from private donors, naming rights and other fundraising. Additional cash would come in the form of in-kind donations and a yet-to-be-confirmed contribution from Wilfrid Laurier University.

Milton staff caution in the report it is “uncertain” whether the town can get the necessary planning approvals in place to build the velodrome on the Pan Am timeline.

Residents have been invited by two Milton councillors to discuss the recommendation and the bid at a meeting tonight.

[LikeHamilton]

Milton secures Pan Am Velodrome
Hamilton Spectator
1/31/2012

The 2015 Pan Am Games finally have a city committed to hosting indoor cycling.

Milton town council has voted in favour of building a Velodrome.

The decision comes just in time.

The town had until the end of this month to commit to covering 44 per cent of the cost of the facility, which could be close to 45-million dollars.

[LikeHamilton]

Velodrome: case study for doing business in Hamilton

AM900CHML
1/31/2012

Milton has done in 12 weeks what Hamilton couldn't do in four years. That is the
assessment of some of the minds behind Hamilton's push to get a Velodrome now that
Milton council has endorsed putting the Pan Am cycling oval within its city.

It has some saying this is a prime example of what's wrong with trying to do business in Hamilton.
Mark Chamberlain was part of Hamilton's bid and says it's another blown
opportunity and he's hoping the powers that be have learned something.
He says the business sector will notice how fast Milton Council got on board with the deal
and adds that if city hall doesn't lead the charge then business won't come to the party.