Washington school rediscovers dream of 2012 Velodrome

Nov 25 2009 The Journal

ST ROBERT of Newminster School in Washington, winners of the London 2012 VeloDreamcompetition, were visited by the designers and builders behind the London 2012 Velodrome to have a go at designing and building their own Velodromes.

The school beat more than 500 schools around the country to win the VeloDream competition which asked pupils to design their own dream Olympic cycling venues of the future. As part of the Olympic Delivery Authority’s commitment to involving schools throughout the construction programme, the school were visited by the architects and construction team behind the London 2012 Velodrome which is beginning to make its mark on the East London skyline.

A full day of activity at the school included a presentation on the London 2012 Velodrome, followed by a chance for the pupils to design and build 3D models of the 2012 Velodrome. The pupils were also given a presentation by the Velodrome team about how to explore a career in construction and architecture.

Richard Arnold, Olympic Delivery Authority Velodrome project manager, said: “Visiting St Robert of Newminster School has been a great chance to bring the excitement of 2012 into the classroom and I was impressed by their innovative and imaginative designs for their own cycling venues.

“With our own Velodrome starting to take shape, it was good to meet the young people who have the chance to become a new generation of builders and architects, helping deliver world-class new venues and buildings in years to come.”

Tanya Gray, London 2012 Games and Commonwealth Games co-ordinator at One North East, added: “Like many schools across the region, St Robert’s has done well in capturing the spirit of the 2012 Games. The visit was a great success, with pupils making a number of inspiring creations.”

The London 2012 Velodrome will host the Olympic and Paralympic track cycling events in 2012. After the Games, the Velodrome will be used by elite athletes and the local community and will include a cafe, bike hire and cycle workshop facilities. A road cycle circuit and mountain bike course will be added to the Velodrome and BMX circuit to create a legacy VeloPark that will combine cycling facilities across all disciplines in one cycling hub.

Construction work on the Velodrome began on schedule in March and work is now well under way on the structural steelwork that will help form the distinct double-curved shape of the venue.

The VeloPark will be owned, funded and operated by Lee Valley Regional Park Authority. The construction of the VeloPark facilities includes funding from Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, Sport England, Transport for London and the London Marathon Charitable Trust.