Sport England Update

Iconic Facilities

Round 2 opens on 10 October 2011, up until 5pm on the 19 December 2011

 

Sport England's Iconic Facilities fund draws on the inspirational pull of London 2012 to create local beacons for grassroots sport. We are investing £30m over the next three years in innovative, large-scale, multi-sport facilities' projects that are regionally significant for at least two sports and can demonstrate long-term financial viability.

 

The Iconic Facilities fund will direct capital investment into a small number of strategic facility projects that will significantly contribute to an increase in mass participation in sport across England. These facilities will be promoted as best practice and will provide a network of regional sports facilities delivering mass participation across a number of sports. We will use this fund to support projects that bring together multiple partners, including input from the public and private sectors and national governing bodies of Sport (NGBs). The fund is also designed to encourage applicants and their partners to invest further capital and revenue funding to ensure sustainability.

Access this new prospectus for Round 2 applications – 16 pages

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Herne Hill Velodrome reopens

 

Herne Hill Velodrome, the last remaining finals venue from the 1948 Olympic Games, has been reopened by Minister for Sport and the Olympics, Hugh Robertson MP.

 

Funded by British Cycling through its Sport England investment and a bequest from life-long track cycling fan, Leonard Lyes, the £500,000 project began in July and has seen the track resurfaced with a special velodrome-specific covering as well as a new outer Safety Fence and Safety Zone run-off area inside the track.

 

“It is fitting that the year before London 2012, we are able to celebrate the refurbishment of the track at one of the key venues from the 1948 Games,” said Hugh Robertson MP. “As the popularity of cycling continues to grow, it is vital that people are provided with the facilities and opportunities to ride their bikes, be they young people starting out, serious racers, or others simply cycling to keep fit. Thanks to the new track that has been laid Herne Hill now takes its place as one of the country’s leading cycling facilities.”

 

The track had been in a state of disrepair for some time, but thanks to a long-term agreement reached earlier this year between the landowners, The Dulwich Estate, and British Cycling, investment could be made in bringing it up-to-date.

 

“It’s fantastic to be here today and see the first of what we hope will be a number of improvements resulting directly from the new agreement between British Cycling and The Dulwich Estate,” said Brian Cookson, British Cycling President. “Getting a longer-term lease in place was essential in terms of our ability to invest in the new track and make best use of the generous donation from Leonard Lyes.”

 

The first major meet at the newly laid track took place on Sunday 11^th September with the Dave Creasy Memorial Meeting.

 

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