Beloved Calgary velodrome to be ‘removed’

The City of Calgary is moving forward with significant upgrades to the Glenmore Water Treatment Plant, a project that will come at the cost of two long-standing community facilities–including a cycling track. A new treated water storage reservoir, high-lift pump station, and electrical building are being planned to accommodate the city’s rapid growth and increasing demand for water.

According to a city memo issued to the mayor and council on Jan. 20, the construction will require the removal of the Glenmore Athletic Park Velodrome, a 50-year-old cycling track, and will bring an end to Safety City, a popular educational space for children. The velodrome’s lease will not be extended beyond October 2026, while Safety City will see its lease expire in April 2025 without renewal.

Additionally, the Glenmore pathway is expected to be relocated, and nearby athletic facilities may experience disruptions as the work progresses. City officials acknowledged the impact these changes will have on community groups and pledged to work on mitigating disruptions where possible.

“Administration is highly sensitive to the impact that this work will have on user groups in the area and are working diligently to find solutions that will minimize unnecessary impacts before they are required for this essential work,” the memo reads.

Erin Ruttan, president of the Calgary Bicycle Track League (CBTL), which operates at the Glenmore Velodrome, spoke about the loss at the public hearing for Calgary’s GamePLAN strategy. She said they offer more than 575 hours of summer programming to Calgarians.

“We’ve been making cycling accessible to youth, to women, to seniors, to athletes with disabilities and to folks of low socioeconomic status, and we’ve been doing so in partnership with the City of Calgary,” Ruttan said to LiveWireCalgary.

Ruttan said they’re not opposed to the GamePlan vision. They just want to make sure they’re included in the conversation beyond rinks, pools, and fields.

“We know we’re not the only niche sport out there that feels that way, and we really don’t want to be left behind when we’re considering infrastructure investments,” she said.