Report on 2012 Olympics - Elite Facilities Funding Application, March 2007
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Relevant Background Information
As part of the preparations for, and the legacy of, the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Sports Council for Northern Ireland is coordinating a bidding process for sports facilities which could attract up to 75% capital funding. Facilities to benefit from this funding must be capable of accommodating elite training and major events.
On 16 January 2007, the Community & Recreation Committee agreed:
- to submit an expression of interest for a velodrome facility, capable of accommodating indoor cycling, basketball, fencing, volleyball and table tennis.
- that the location for the velodrome would be the Alderman Thomas Patton Memorial Park.
On 13 February 2007, the Community & Recreation Committee agreed that, subject to the funding application being successful, the East Belfast leisure centre be integrated with the velodrome.
The decision to apply for funding for a velodrome followed a visit to the National Cycling Centre in Manchester by Councillors Campbell, McCann, Mullaghan, Rodgers and officers (Mervyn Elder, Philip Lucas and Phil Kelly).
The detailed specifications for the five sports were only issued by the Sports Council on 5 March, with 30 March being the deadline for receipt of applications.
The timetable for the funding competition is:
- 30 March 2007: closing date for receipt of applications
- September 2007: announcement of shortlist
- January 2008: closing date for stage 2 applications
- April 2008: announcement of preferred bidders
- March 2010: facilities operational
Key Issues
Recognising Members' wish to accommodate a number of sports in the facility, the governing body requirements have been analysed to assess compatibility. Discussions have also taken place with representatives of the five governing bodies. Each has set out its facility requirements (essential and desirable), together with the access arrangements which would be required for training and events. Following consideration of the information, a number of observations can be made:
- The technical specification for cycling can be met.
- It is not possible to accommodate the physical areas required by both basketball and volleyball in the 'infield' of the cycling track.
- Basketball have stated that they would require considerable periods of time when the infield would be available to them, without any activity on the track. At best, it would be very difficult to accommodate this requirement and the demand for cycling. At worst, the two sports are not compatible.
- Some difficulties are anticipated in accommodating basketball's spectator requirements in the infield, particularly in terms of the available space and possible implications for sightlines during cycling activity.
- Although basketball and volleyball could not both be accommodated at elite level, high level competitive basketball, together with some elite training, could run alongside an elite volleyball facility.
- Given the technical and access requirements, fencing and table tennis can best be accommodated in a separate hall, constructed within the proposed leisure centre.
- Better value for money can be obtained by amalgamating the fitness / conditioning facilities required for the various sports.
- By incorporating the velodrome and leisure centre as a single facility, operating costs will be lower than for two separate buildings.
In submitting our grant application, costs will be included for reasonable proportions of areas which are to be shared between the velodrome and the leisure centre, for example:
Car parking Reception Offices Meeting rooms Changing accommodation Toilets Catering areas Circulation areas Stores Plant areas
The application process established for this fund is such that there are likely to be overlapping bids. Some of the sports identified above will almost certainly feature in other applications, either as individual sports or as multi-sport proposals. The Sports Council has stated that, at stage two, it will shortlist a maximum of three applications for any facility type.
North Down Borough Council intends to submit a bid for Beach Volleyball. An acknowledgement of this in our submission, with the possibility of linkages, could assist our application.
Given the 30 March deadline for receipt of applications, officers will need to action the Committee's decisions prior to ratification by Council.
Resource Implications
At the Community & Recreation Committee meeting on 13 February, it was agreed that Council would apply for the maximum grant, i.e. 75% of capital cost.
Recommendations
It is recommended that the proposed facility accommodates:
- Cycling, fencing, table tennis and volleyball at elite level.
- Basketball at competitive, but not elite, level.
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