Brett Davis is explaining the assembly of the velodrome on the former site of St. Alexis and then St. Michael Hospital off of Broadway Avenue in Cleveland. Slavic Village is a neighborhood that was hit hard by predatory lenders and the housing collapse. 

 “You can see the welders up there.  We’re welding into place the top rib. “ 

Since last week, a handful of men is welding, bolting, and adjusting a metal framework for the 166-meter bicycle track.  Six laps is one kilometer.

Davis, who owns a real estate company, serves as board president of Fast Track Cycling, a non-profit that formed five years ago to build a velodrome in Cleveland so both racers and the public have a place to ride.  The group began assembly at its 8-acre site in mid-May.

Founders Club
Davis says a group of 100 people called “the Founders Club” raised  $100,000 for the track. Then the city, corporations and foundations added more for a total of $300,000.
That’s enough for phase one – the outdoor track. Phase two, which could cost as much as $7 million, would add a pressurized air dome to cover the track during the cold months.

Keeping kids in Cleveland
Davis says people are giving money to build the track because they want to ride it, but also because they want young people in Cleveland to have a facility to ride bikes. Riders will need track bikes and Fast Track will have about 30 to rent. But rental and track time will be free for riders under 18.  The group is also offering a free training lesson and ride to adult first timers.  

Sharp turns
On the turns, the track is tilted as much as 50 degrees.
Velodromes are common in Japan and Europe, but there are only about 25 in the United States.  One of only three indoor tracks in North America is in London, Ontario.  It’s called the Forest City Velodrome, but it was not named after the Cleveland company.  Turns out, the city on the other side of the lake also calls itself Forest City.

 Brett Davis says the Cleveland Velodrome riders will need track bikes and they’ll  have about 30 to rent.  Rental and track time will be free for riders under 18.   The group is also offering a free training lesson and ride to adult first timers.  He calls the business plan for the velodrome “sustainable” -- meaning it would largely be run by volunteers.

The plan, weather permitting, is to have the track ready for a grand opening July 6^th.