Herne Hill Velodrome Closure Threat - Save the Velodrome!

was wondering when the next meeting was, as I wanted to start to add my voice (no comments required) to what was happening. whole point in giving email addresses, joining facespace groups is to be kept informed and invited to events such as these..

I am disappoint.

Disappoint at ...?

Get in touch with Hilary with your ideas, or via your club, if you're a member. And if your club isn't involved, become the person who does get involved. And if you're not a member of a club ... well ...

This campaign needs people to get off their backsides and help it out. If you have a good idea or enthusiasm or whatever then you'll be welcomed with open arms.

the last week's events - as far as I understand - were both (I correct my earlier post) for stakeholders and prospective stakeholders

Date for your diary

A Public Meeting will be held in Dulwich College Great Hall, on Tuesday March 22,
from 7.30 to 9.30 pm, and everyone is welcome to come and view the concept plans
and news of other progress.

dulwichrider, been away for a year, but have been following events via the web and was up for coming to meeting to find out what situation was, as I wasn't around for previous meeting. I'm disappoint because I wasn't informed/invited to said meeting, knew vaguely about it for someone reason. Not really having a go, but feel communication was missing, and one of the most important things about this is making sure you don't lose momentum and keeping the mass of people informed about, meetings/events/goodthings is the best way to keep it.

I'll endeavour to become more involved and for me the first part was coming to the meeting to see what the lay of the land was and how far things had progressed..

edit: okay next open meeting is in march, date is in diary, will be attending..

I think this is a really good time for bike clubs to get involved. This is where the old-skool infrastructure can really play a part. As I said above, if your club isn't arranging a meeting with Hilary Peachy, looking to get involved, and getting all members interested, why not?

was wondering when the next meeting was, as I wanted to start to add my voice (no comments required) to what was happening. whole point in giving email addresses, joining facespace groups is to be kept informed and invited to events such as these..

If you think that giving your email address and joining a FB group entitles you to be invited along to every organising meeting of a pressure group, you should think again. STV (like most community / pressure groups) is for the doers. You want to seriously get involved? Pick up a phone, volunteer your time, your resources, make some contacts, keep in touch. You said you knew vaguely about the meeting beforehand - what stopped you giving someone a call at the STV campaign to find out what it was and when it was, and asking if your attendance at it would have been useful to them? Single click "online activism" has its limits.

BTW I am not a rep of STV or anything like that - I'm just sounding off, my own €0.02, etc. It irritates me when people think that clicking 'Like' on FB automatically means they're at the heart of a campaign or group.

If only they'd told everyone, then there might have been more people there.

Would have been nice to be invited to the meeting.

I was there ( as was Stelle, Illy , JC + others) , having been invited 48hrs before . It was a meeting for politicians, stakeholders and potential sponsors etc. I have a follow up meeting with Hilary in a couple of weeks and need to speak to you both before hand.

My take on Monday is that people shouldn't worry about this meeting.It was about launching the campaign to an audience mainly of corporate ( hence i guess my invite) and political people to get their involvement which is going to be necessary in the funding. I am sure there will be many more consultation meetings to involve everyone who wants to save HH.

perhaps they didn't want to invite people who are likely to stand up and ask a few pertinent questions that don't fit in with the masterplan?

perhaps they didn't want to invite people who are likely to stand up and ask a few pertinent questions that don't fit in with the masterplan?

Like what?

Don't start

Its clear what that meeting was about; you will have your chance.

i'm not starting anything.

just reading this and thinking everything is wonderful, now we are going to "realise a vision"
*
VELODROME BOOST
HERNE HILL velodrome is set to be saved after a 2012 games architect helped redesign it.
Following a campaign backed by Steven Fry, Tessa Jowell, Seb Coe and residents, it was announced today that a deal has been done to rebuild the track created for the 1948 Games.
The land will go to a charitable trust that aims to find £5 million from sponsors to realise a vision by 2012 velodrome designer Mike Taylor, of Hopkins Architects.

Evening Standard 10th Feb
*

Wait, what are the values? You can't have a vision without values.

And SMART objectives...

And if you're not a member of a club ... well ...

Well what? I don't want to be in a club. Why should I?

i didn't realise architects had PR people.
never let real facts get in the way of a bit decent PR.

Like what?

like all the points raised in this thread.
why the need for 5million?
evidently there is a set of plans in existence (i think commissioned by VCL) that is significantly cheaper and addresses the needs of the cycling facility as it currently stands, i.e. a facility for track, cross, mtb cycling for schoolage/beginner through to competing cyclists.

i would like to see the plans/estimates as they might offer a more efficient alternative to the £5million "architects vision" that's flawed in so many areas.
i can see why the locals like the plans as it will be a nice cafe for them to amble to while their little kids can trundle round the family track on a sunny sunday.
personally i think it would be an overpriced folly that fails at it's raison d'etre:

a cycling facility

...it will be a nice cafe for them to amble to while their little kids can trundle round the family track on a sunny sunday.
personally i think it would be an overpriced folly that fails at it's raison d'etre:

a cycling facility

From everything I have heard from the STV team (including Hillary at Monday evening's meeting), the focus is absolutely a cycling facility - track cycling for all, family cycling, polo, disabled cycling etc. Anyone who has comment to make on the current plans has an opportunity to do so via the STV website and they will, I'm sure, be taken into account by the design team. In over 30 years of developing commercial property I have never seen a first draft 'vision' scheme turn into reality - a scheme develops over time, taking into account constructive comments, budget constraints, practical/physical site constraints etc. There's really no need to get so worked up about the Architect and his current scheme - make constructive comment and be positive about what can be achieved.

the architect is great. the pringle is a wonderful building and by all accounts the track itself is good too. (fast with a lower track center so good sightlines for the coaches)
i'm just surprised the basic needs of the facility weren't mentioned in the brief.
i still think the elephant in the room is the £5million and where that money is going to come from, i wouldn't be surprised if changing rooms/storage/cafe facility for cyclists cannot be achieved for a lot less and still be a good facility to cater for the current number of visitors, the track is already very busy, it's not as if it's underused or activities are under subscribed.

i too like most people are looking forward to a positive outcome, the lease renewal is the beginning of this.

i wouldn't be surprised if changing rooms/storage/cafe facility for cyclists cannot be achieved for a lot less and still be a good facility to cater for the current number of visitors, the track is already very busy, it's not as if it's underused or activities are under subscribed.

i too like most people are looking forward to a positive outcome, the lease renewal is the beginning of this.

You may well be right about the budget/outturn cost and indeed a simplified scheme may be the outcome for a number of reasons (if the full £5m can't be raised, for example), so no need for anyone to get too stressed about the current 'vision'. Yes, the track is busy at certain times, but there is an opportunity to increase use - a 'family trundle route' is a great idea, I'm passionate about opening up the venue for disabled cycling and the track centre is currently under-used. None of these activities will detract from track training/racing.

Nice to see your positive end note!

@ dublinkevin, know your points about one click activism aren't necessarily aimed directly at me, but since you quoted my post I'll respond.
I've been away for a year and my only contact with this current resurgence in desire to secure Herne Hill's future has been through the forum threads and the activism on facespace. Obviously being on the otherside of the world, limits how much grassroots activism I can be involved in, and even though I have a great deal to say about the initiative most of it at this point is filtered through the musings and thoughts of others. So my first real sight of this and my first chance to offer my skills and thoughts will be at the next general meeting, in March which I will be attending.

I've heard there's another meeting at Dulwich College tonight but can't find reference to it anywhere... Can anyone confirm?

It's next Tuesday, the 22nd.

Well what? I don't want to be in a club. Why should I?
The simple point being that clubs are organisations and sometimes organisations are very useful at helping to provide structured communication between users and bigger organisations. The velodrome campaign is an example of a time when clubs can be really useful.

In direct answer to your question, of course you can be an individual rider but it is more likely that you will be in a position to give back something to cycling and cycle sport as part of a club.

like all the points raised in this thread.
why the need for 5million?
evidently there is a set of plans in existence (i think commissioned by VCL) that is significantly cheaper and addresses the needs of the cycling facility as it currently stands, i.e. a facility for track, cross, mtb cycling for schoolage/beginner through to competing cyclists.

i would like to see the plans/estimates as they might offer a more efficient alternative to the £5million "architects vision" that's flawed in so many areas.
i can see why the locals like the plans as it will be a nice cafe for them to amble to while their little kids can trundle round the family track on a sunny sunday.
personally i think it would be an overpriced folly that fails at it's raison d'etre:

a cycling facility

Hello Beaumont Leys !

A little bump to remind you that this is tomorrow evening - hope to see some of you there.