The fantastic cycling facilities on
offer in Manchester just got even better, following the completion
of the National Indoor BMX Arena.
The new £24million arena, in which Sport
England has invested £3million through its Iconic
Facilities fund, sits alongside the existing Velodrome of the
National Cycling Centre, greatly enhancing the sport on offer.
Cyclists of all ages, from those trying the sport for the first
time to the more advanced and regular participants, will now be
able to take advantage of discounted evening and weekend ‘pay and
ride’ BMX sessions.
The centre’s completion comes as Sport England
continues to invite applicants to bid for grants between £250,000
and £3million in the second of three £10million Iconic
Facilities rounds.
As part of the Places People Play
legacy programme, Iconic Facilities is transforming the
places where people play sport, bringing the inspiration and magic
of a home Olympic and Paralympic Games into communities all over
the country.
Sport England’s Chair, Richard Lewis, said:
"I'm delighted to see the National Indoor BMX
centre already giving more people of all ages and abilities
the chance to take part in high-quality sporting activities. Our
investment has helped deliver a truly iconic facility
that demonstrates how we're transforming the places where
people play sport. The centre joins an array of world-class
facilities already in Manchester and is a sign of things to come as
we deliver a lasting sporting legacy beyond London 2012; a legacy
that reaches well beyond the capital."
Cycling is one of the fastest growing sports
in the country and as well as encouraging participation at the
grassroots, the arena will host major BMX events attracting riders
from all over the world. Part-funded by Manchester City Council
(£8.55 million) and the Northwest Regional Development Agency (£8
million), it will also be used as a training facility by the
country’s elite as they prepare for Gold at the London 2012 Olympic
Games.
Councillor Mike Amesbury, Manchester City
Council Executive Member for Culture and Leisure, said: “The
completion of the National BMX Centre is incredibly exciting. Some
of the world’s top BMXers will train here, and young people from
East Manchester will get the opportunity to use the facilities and
aim for the highest awards in BMX.
“There will obviously be a huge focus on sport next year, and I
hope the Olympics will inspire Manchester residents to take
advantage of the world-class facilities on their door step. It’s no
exaggeration to say that there’s nothing like the National BMX
centre anywhere else in the world.”
Ian Drake, CEO of British Cycling, which is
based at the National Cycling Centre, said: “With less than one
year to go to London 2012 our elite athletes are now fully focused
on the Games and we are privileged to have access to this fantastic
training facility at this crucial time. However, next year’s
Olympics and Paralympics are not just about medals, but also about
bringing long-term benefits to local communities, and the Indoor
BMX Arena will do just that for the people of Manchester for
generations to come. Our thanks go to Sport England, Manchester
City Council and North West Development Agency for making this
project possible.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
For more information on the National Indoor
BMX centre, please visit http://www.nationalcyclingcentre.com/
Round two of Iconic Facilities opened
to applications on 10 October 2011 and will be accepted via Sport
England’s website until 5pm, 19 December 2011.
Anyone interested in applying should visit
www.sportengland.org/funding
for more details or call 08458 508 508.
Sport England is focused on the delivery of a
mass participation legacy from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic
Games. We invest National Lottery and Exchequer funding in
organisations and projects that will grow and sustain participation
in grassroots sport and create opportunities for people to excel at
their chosen sport.
Places People Play is a £135 million
National Lottery programme being delivered by Sport England, in
partnership with the British Olympic Association (BOA) and the
British Paralympic Association (BPA) with the backing of The London
Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games
(LOCOG) and the London 2012 Inspire mark.