Mattamy National Cycling Centre in Ontario to host provincially-supported track paracycling program

The Mattamy National Cycling Centre in Milton, Ont. — otherwise known as the Milton velodrome, the site of track riding action at the 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games — is the recipient of a $20,000 grant from the Ontario government, intended to facilitate a new track cycling program for riders with disabilities.

Announced on August 20 by Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne, the project aims to put 50 riders with disabilities in the saddle, prospectively making the Milton velodrome as accessible as it is state-of-the-art. The $20,000 grant, in turn, is part of a larger $7.2 million investment initiative by the province, with a goal of promoting active lifestyles through the Ontario Sport and Recreation Communitiees Fund.

It’s a goal, Wynne said in announcing the program, that’s in line with her government’s overall commitment to a healthier Ontario.

“Our government is committed,” Wynne said, “to investing in programs that promote the health and well-being of people of all ages across the province. Through the Ontario Sport and Recreation Communities Fund, we are providing the support that families need to live a more active lifestyle while creating new opportunities for young people to engage with their communities.” And with its track now quieter than it was during the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games, the Mattamy National Cycling Centre is the ideal place for realizing such an idea. Beyond its modern, UCI-level amenities, the purpose of the velodrome has always been to support the community as much as provide a world-class facility for Canadian athletes.

As with other programs at the Milton velodrome, the para-cycling program supported by this funding will function as part of the Milton Cycling Academy, an institution steered by Canadian cycling legend Steve Bauer.