Inverness cycling charity HiVelo votes to take a new direction at its AGM after it dropped plans to create a new velodrome for the city – it was agreed to change constitution to redirect the charity towards development of the sport
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
An Inverness cycling charity has officially dropped its ambition to create a new velodrome for the city and has decided on a new direction for the group.
The decision was taken at HiVelo’s AGM after last month’s announcement that plans to build the new complex – the first in the Highlands – had been abandoned due to a lack of funding.
Organisers had been determinedly trying to create a velodrome in the Inverness area for a number of years.
Last summer optimism was high as a site near Inverness Campus was felt to be perfect for the project which aimed to get more people riding bikes, more often.
It had been hoped the project – centred on an indoor 200m velodrome – would have been open in autumn 2023.
John MacMillan, HiVelo’s chairman, said the main item on the agenda of the AGM was to decide the future direction of the charity now that it had to abandon the cycling hub project.
He said: “The member clubs, like the trustees, were very disappointed that after the many years of work put into the project it did not receive the necessary support from sportscotland.
“The meeting did, however, approve a change in our constitution to redirect the charity towards development of the sport.”
He added: “The trustees will be looking at a range of projects which will encourage young riders, typically to assist coaches in their work with youngsters, assist riders to travel further afield to pursue their dreams or to train and race on the track at the Sir Chris Hoy velodrome in Glasgow.”
In addition a number of trustees retired at the AGM and have been replaced by new volunteers so the charity’s work can go on.
