June 5, 2007 (Quebec City, QC) — There’s a chance that the Louis Garneau Velodrome will soon be dismantled. The velodrome, which is operated by the non-profit group, Centre national de cyclisme de Quebec (CNCQ), is situated on the campus of a private college, Notre-Dame-de-Foy site in St-Augustin-de-Desmaures, about 20km west of downtown Quebec City. This is close to the Louis Garneau Sports plant in the same suburb. The Velodrome was in need of considerable repairs and apparently the Quebec City government has decided to dismantle the facility rather than do these repairs.

Julie Charbonneau, Communication Manager for Louis Garneau Sports indicated to Pedal that she was aware of no definitive decision being made yet by Quebec City yet. However, a press release by the CNCQ states that the decision has been made.

The Louis Garneau Velodrome is a 200m outdoor facility. There are nine functional velodromes in Canada, only two of which (Burnaby and Forest City) are indoor facilities. There is only one other velodrome in Quebec is in Bromont, but a few decades ago there were three velodromes in Montreal alone. The facilities are essential for track cycling, a sport that once rivalled hockey in popularity as a spectator sport.

News accounts from 2004 detail plans to build a $55 million indoor velodrome incorporating volleyball, tennis, and volleyball courts with Laval University being proposed as the site for this facility.

More information can be found at: www.centrecyclistedequebec.com