Okay - so I wrote a long, eloquent rebuttal to Ann's comments and then the d*mn Earthlink Springmail online mail crap ate it instead of posting. I feel like Brian or something...
so after much cursing, I'll get to the right to the point:
East Point is not the Hamptons or the Upper East Side or Sonoma County, but its not Compton or East St. Louis or Bed-Stuy either. It's just on the southside of Atlanta which gets a bad rap from northside sububanites who are too timid to venture inside I-285 or go south of I-20 except to go to the airport. And it's my hometown and current residence. So for cycling enthusists in Atlanta, you should really try to express some support for saving the velodrome even it you don't visit (and you should try to visit sometime). Once it's gone, there won't be another one and even if you don't ride track, you've got friends that do and you may need them to stand by you sometime (for bike lanes or Silver Comet extension or trail access or whatever).
It's not looking good, but it's not too late yet. Drop me a line if you want contact info for the City Council or mayor and if you're not a East Point resident, tell them that the reason you patronize East Point businesses is because the velodrome is here and needs to stay here to keep you coming back. I'm sure that out of staters saying they've heard of East Point because of the velodrome wouldn't hurt either.
Classic bike content - rode the velodrome in 1975 on my Sears FreeSpirit wearing a hairnet helmet and hanging out at East Point Schwinn.
Thanks for listening, Taz Taylor (still waiting for that gentrificaton) in East Point, GA
Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2004 12:49:43 -0500 From: ADP <aphillips9@mindspring.com> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: [CR]East Point Velodrome Message-ID: <6.0.0.22.2.20040115100245.0305c350@pop.mindspring.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed MIME-Version: 1.0 Precedence: list Message: 14
Some of the issues include, East Point is not the best neighborhood in the Atlanta area. There isn't very much parking and very little passing traffic. East Point isn't really a destination. It is hard to get local cyclists and families to come out and watch Friday night racing when they are worried about getting hassled in the neighborhood or getting their car broken into. Other problems include that the Velodrome itself needs some pretty major repairs, something about part of it sinking due to a creek? Its also a funny little track that is pretty rough on tires. Lastly, eventually gentrification will come to East Point and that Velodrome will make a lovely housing development. Or a nice paid airport parking lot. Sigh...
The cool thing would have been to *leave* the 1996 Olympic Velodrome out at Stone Mountain park. We all ride out there anyway, lots of parking, food vendors etc. Plus it was a pretty nice track and since Stone Mountain, a state park is conveniently managed by the company that manages "Dollywood," ideally the velodrome would have been a draw for more crowds and the mighty dollar.
Don't get me wrong - I do support Dick Lane, I just don't know if a little dedicated group of cyclists can keep it faced with these odds.
When I lived in San Jose, we used to go for a Saturday morning ride and then go watch the trackies practice in Hellyer park. It was a cheap and fun evening to go watch the races, get some takeout and have a good time.
Classic content - weeeellll, I started going to Hellyer park in 1981! Excellent cheap date fodder <g>.
Ann Phillips, Decatur GA - rode today and it was worth the layering on of clothing.
>Saw this on cyclingnews.com:
>
>Decision nears for Dick Lane Velodrome=20
>The East Point, Georgia City Council will vote Tuesday, January 20 on
>the fate of the Dick Lane Velodrome. The City Council will vote on
>whether or not to offer the East Point Velodrome Association a long-term
>lease for the facility in order to assume responsibility for its
>repairs. Without the needed restoration work, the velodrome faces
>closure by the city.=20
>
>The East Point Velodrome Association is urging all cyclists and fans of
>track racing to attend the City Council meeting, scheduled for 6:30pm on
>the 20th at the East Point Auditorium building behind the City Hall.
>More information on the fundraising efforts for the velodrome, as well
>as details and directions for the City Council meeting, are available at
>www.dicklanevelodrome.com.=20
>
>Mordecai Silver
>NY, NY