The velodrome will not only put Milton on the international map, but also leave a lasting legacy in the world of sports, says a Canadian cycling guru.
That sentiment was the key message delivered to the full house at Friday morning's Breakfast with the Mayor, an annual Milton Chamber of Commerce event.
Among those who spoke to the crowd at Teatro Conference and Event Centre was racing cyclist Curt Harnett, who's the Chef de Mission, or head of the Canadian sports delegation at the upcoming Pam Am Games.
The Olympic medalist said his "dream finally came true" when the Mattamy National Cycling Centre officially opened its doors last month.
"This is a facility that I've dreamt about for 20 years," he said. "The opportunity is there to put Milton on the map. There's also great and tremendous opportunity for the sport of cycling here."
He noted that cycling is an ideal sport to take advanced athletes to the next level.
"This facility is the perfect breeding ground to make them the next Olympic champion or rider in Tour de France," he said.
And Harnett should know. The former hockey player got into cycling as a way to stay in shape during the offseason. Even after he was drafted by the London Knights hockey team, he decided to trade his stick in for a bicycle permanently and then won an Olympic medal in cycling the following year.
"It's that kind of opportunity that the Town of Milton has now presented to Canadians," he said.
He went on to dub Milton as "the hub of cycling," noting he and many others flock to the area as a cycling destination.
It's so beautiful and majestic here. It's the perfect venue for this fantastic facility," he said.
While the Pam Am Games haven't happened yet, Town Director of Community Services Jennifer Reynolds reported that the $56-million velodrome is already drawing the interest of cyclists and local residents.
She said between January 13 and February 4, 730 cyclists registered for programs at the velodrome, with 377 on a waiting list already. More than 130 cycling memberships have also been sold, and 843 bikes have been rented.
“The majority of drop-in rides each day have been sold out, including weekday morning and lunch time session,” she said.
Reynolds noted the walking/running track inside the velodrome is also a very popular feature, with 249 annual memberships sold within the first two days. The gymnasium space at the new facility is also attracting many local sports teams, she said.
When it comes to the Pam Am Games, Reynolds encouraged those in attendance at the breakfast to welcome athletes and visitors to the community and build on the Games' schedule of events to entice people to stay in Milton.
Mayor Gord Krantz was also on hand to share his annual "state of the union" address, which emphasized the importance of maintaining "the vision for growth" in Milton.
"A key principle is balanced growth," he said. "A strong ratio of residential to non-residential assessment has been maintained, and that results in a favourable residential tax rate for Miltonians."
Looking ahead over the coming year, Krantz said local residents can expect to see ground broken for the Milton District Hospital expansion in the spring, progress on a variety of infrastructure projects, continued progress of the Milton Education Village Innovation Centre and the opening of the Derry Green Business Park, to name a few initiatives.
Krantz wrapped up the breakfast by declaring Harnett an honourary citizen of Milton.
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