Making Wangaratta Australia

1
Making Wangaratta Australias Premier Cycling
Destination

• Future Direction for Wangaratta Cycling Club
  Cycling in Wangaratta

2
Wangaratta Cycling Club Deputation

• Inform council about the club its Major
  events.
• Update council on progress of WCC strategic plan
• Show the benefits to Wangaratta of having good
  facilities to stage events.
• Seek assistance from council to further improve
  cycling in Wangaratta in line with councils aims.

3
Wangaratta Cycling Club

• Proud history since 1856
• Produced Olympic Commonwealth medallists
• Offers racing and training opportunities All
  Ages, All Abilities
• Operates 12 months a year (Velodrome Summer,
  Road Autumn ? Spring)
• Caters for all ages abilities
• Strong commitment to
• Juniors Youth
• Average 100 members

4
Wangaratta Cycling Club

• Stage Successful State Level Events
• Victorian Junior Road Championships (2 days).
• 2011 - 220 junior riders, 370k in tourism spend
• Have run for past 14 years generating 5.1M
• Have secured for 2012. Beyond ??
• Round 4 of Christmas Track Carnivals (1
  Day/Night).
• Attracted 160 junior senior riders.
• Generated 135k in tourism spend.
• Based on ABS sport tourist avg spend of
  241/day
• in 2011 terms. Entries have remained
  consistent throughout 14 years

5
Strategic Plan Strengthening Wangaratta Cycling
and WCC

• Completed in 2011 with assistance from Michelle
  Read
• A holistic assessment of the Club (and cycling in
  Wangaratta), its opportunities and issues.
• Provides strategic direction to ensure future
  sustainability.
• Consultation is occurring on Draft plan (Club,
  Stakeholders Council)

6
Strategic Plan Strengthening Wangaratta Cycling
and WCC

• Five Main Strategic Themes
• Taking a whole of sport approach to cycling in
  Wangaratta
• Building a sustainable pool of supporters and
  volunteers both within the club and between other
  cycling groups (including RCOW).
• Improving Expanding the range of cycling
  activities to make Wangaratta the Regional Hub
  for competitive recreational cycling.
• Addressing shortfalls in cycling facilities.
• Continuing to stage Regional State Level events

7
1 - Whole of Sport Model

• Pursue Whole of Sport model
• Invite other Clubs groups for discussion
  establish working group
• Discuss with/seek support of Council
• Discuss with/seek support from Cycling Victoria
• Establish organisational structure for the model
• Lobby for Cycling Hub/Precinct

8
2 - Sustainable Volunteers

• Implement compulsory volunteer system
• Change WCC Committee structure dividing up tasks
• Work with other groups to expand the pool and
  support each other
• Train volunteers to marshal and control traffic

9
3 Participation, Programs Activities

• Create regional centre of excellence of training
  racing
• Examine establishment of Mountain Bike Racing
• Establish Wangaratta as a Cyclocross
  destination.
• Expand our come try days into schools and
  community events.
• We have the ability to stage any form of cycling
  event (racing or challenge). This can support
  councils partnership with Sports Marketing
  Australia.

10
4 Improving Facilities

• Need for a more suitable Criterion Circuit
• Modernise/Replace Track
• Establishment of Mountain
• Bike Facilities in Warby Ovens Park
• Create a Cyclocross course
• in Wangaratta CBD precinct.
• one trial race held last season.
• Increasingly popular form of racing.
• Identify key road infrastructure for Road events
  to inform RCOW road maintenance strategy.

11
5 Staging Quality Regional State Level events

• Improve Course Safety quality road circuits
  with standardised Permanent traffic management
• More track events (less intensive to organise)
• New events - Cyclocross (compact spectator
  friendly)
• Training Racing Hub
• for North East
• Other councils are
• bidding for and
• staging events

12
RCoW Assistance request

• RCoW Events dept to assist our bids for State
  Regional events.
• Each attracts approx 150-200 participants
• Other councils are supporting and bidding for
  these type of events
• Ensure a suitable Velodrome remains (or is built)
  to attract events.
• One event at Christmas generated 135k in
  economic benefits to Wangaratta.
• Locate a new Off-Road criterium circuit at the
  Wangaratta Showgrounds.
• Existing sale yards circuit is on-road and
  trucks and vehicles enter the course safety
  concerns.
• Would utilise the newly sealed road network
  around the showgrounds. Far safer.

13
RCoW Assistance request

• Traffic Management plans.
• Preparation of plans for our standard road race
  circuits to meet RMAct requirements
• Progressive installation of permanent Race day
  signage on major event circuits.
• Major event circuits to have cycling friendly
  maintenance performed.
• Facilitation of a Whole of Sport approach to
  cycling in Wangaratta.
• Establish a Cycling Wangaratta reference group
• Sharing an co-habiting of facilities/equipment
  volunteers
• New facilities to be multi-discipline and
  multi-purpose
• Commission a study investigating the feasibility
  and requirements for developing a cycling
  precinct in Wangaratta.
• Bring cycling groups together to share and
  better utilise facilities
• Use this to attract training squads and other
  recreational events

14
The Future IS Together

• RCOW WCC aims are aligned and mutual support
  will achieve the councils stated goals of
• Cycle tourism leadership position is strengthened
• Continued investment in promotion, development of
  infrastructure,
• Increased involvement of businesses.
• Cycle Tourism Advisory Committee established

• It will require
• Whole of cycling approach
• Regional cycling hub
• Multi-use shared facilities
• Infrastructure that supports quality events
  (Road, Track, MTB, Challenge Recreational)

15
Cycling Wangaratta
Discussion Questions
16
Cycling Wangaratta
Additional Notes for Councillors
17
Wangaratta IS Cycling

• 2010-2013 RCOW Tourism Strategic Plan.
• Cycling Key driver being the Murray to
  Mountains Rail Trail with new product coming
  online. The region aims to be Australias premier
  cycling destination.
• Cycling The RCoWs topography and
  infrastructure of cycling paths, including
  Wangaratta as the start of the Murray to
  Mountains Rail Trail, appeals to cyclists of all
  standards. The Wangaratta Oxley link will
  further enhance the cycle tourism product driving
  visitation by cyclists to these area.

18
Wangaratta IS Cycling

• Competitive Cycling plays a significant role in
  attracting visitors to Wangaratta.
• Competitors love
• The variety of courses that are on offer.
• South Wang - Hills, Time Trials, Criterions.
• Showgrounds - Track
• The ease of access to quality of the of
  facilities
• South Wang Parking, Showers, Rooms
• Showgrounds Driving right up to track, Shade,
  Grass.

19
Wangaratta The Cycling Event Precinct
Great events need safe and good quality
infrastructure. We want to work with RCOW to
improve safety and quality of cycling events to
increase visiting cyclists.

• Road Race circuits with good surfaces, permanent
  traffic signage, assistance with permits.
• Track Repair or Re -development
• Common facility for all groups.
• Assist with establishment of Cycling Wangaratta
  group and brand.

20
Cycling Facts

• Participation rate one of the top 4 activities
  in the country high regular participation rate
  (at east once per week)
• Cycling Victoria repositioning itself to cater
  for increasing interest in racing and
  recreational activities
• National trend towards non-competitive passive
  recreation activities. 12.5 growth.
  Competitive cycling participation also increasing
  at 1.5
• Case studies show Clubs now successfully cater
  for a number of disciplines including
  recreational
• People who participate in one discipline (Road,
  Track, MTB, Challenge, Recreational) are likely
  to be attracted to other disciplines as well

21
Cycling Facts

• Many Councils are bidding for cycling races.
• Because they draw people from out of town
• Promote their region
• Examples include
• Tour of the South West Warrnambool City
  Council. 2 day tour.
• Under 19 National Road Championships Shepparton
  Council
• Border Final of State Schools Championships
  Albury City ( this used to be in Wangaratta)