Construction of a HK$1.06 billion indoor velodrome for use by both elite athletes and hobbyists will start in March if lawmakers endorse the project.
The cycling arena, planned together with a new town park next to the Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground, a major East Asian Games venue, will become the first indoor cycling track in the city to meet international competition standards and is expected to be completed in 2013.
It will compensate for the loss of the outdoor velodrome of the Hong Kong Sports Institute in Sha Tin, which will be dismantled this month for the institute's redevelopment.
According to a paper submitted to Legco's home affairs panel yesterday, the sports venue not only will be used by athletes for training and competition purposes, but will also be open to the public, addressing a lack of leisure space for residents and students.
The project, proposed in 2006, has met general support in the Sai Kung District Council and the Hong Kong Cycling Association. Democratic Party district councillor Gary Fan Kwok-wai said the only remaining concern was how much access the public would get to the velodrome.
'The government has yet to tell us how much time the venue is committed to elite athletes and how often the public can use it. It had better give a percentage to make things clear,' Fan said.