Why should Oklahoma City want to have a velodrome? That is the real question. Oklahoma has invested a lot of money into its trail networks both downtown (Project 180 and River trails network) as well as outside of the downtown area (Lake Hefner, Lake Overholser, Draper Lake etc…). The one thing they are trying to do now is connect them all together so that you can go just about anywhere in the Oklahoma City area by bike. The only problem with this is everything is so spread out it makes it difficult for normal people to ride on a daily basis. Say, for instance, you work in the downtown area, and after work you want to go ride your mountain bike. If you leave work at 5pm like almost everyone else you have to fight your way thru traffic to either Arcadia Lake, Bluff Creek (Lake Hefner), or Draper Lake, all of which would take you roughly 30 to 60 minutes to get there. Yes. I know I am referring to mountain biking and the original question pertains to a velodrome. The velodrome I am proposing is going to be the cycling hub to the city. Not only will there be a velodrome, but there will be outdoor tracks for mountain biking, cyclocross, and criterium racing. With it being just south of downtown you now have the option of riding your bike there from your place of work and avoid most of the traffic of everyone in their cars trying to leave the city. Once you are finished riding you ride back to your work, get in your car, and go home. Bringing in these four different forms of cycling also enables the site to be used all year round. A lot of your competitive cyclists do not just race one discipline. Most cyclists race all year to help get better and stronger for the next season. As the weather changes the style of riding also changes to maintain safe riding conditions.
There are two other things I am looking at proposing as a part of my facility.
First, I want to include commercial and restaurant spaces within my velodrome facility that are located around the perimeter in that they can be open and operated separate from the facility so you can still eat and shop when the facility is not open. With higher density mixed use neighborhoods both north and west of my site it makes sense to incorporate these
facilities here so that people in this community do not have to travel north into the city in order to shop or eat. It allows for a better quality building and overall site. It also will get people on my site that might not be associated with cycling and allow them to see the facility without having to come here with that purpose in mind.
Second, I want to incorporate a pedestrian bridge at the east end linking the boathouses to my site. The closest existing crossing access is approximately a mile to the west at Wiley Post Park. This access will allow spectators of the rowing events access to the south shores to watch rowing events from both sides of the river. It will allow people working/using the boathouse facilities access to my commercial/retail stores. It will also allow my site and the boathouse facilities to share parking. With the location of my site bordering the railroad tracks to the south, my main entrance has the possibility to be blocked several times a day. I have yet analyzed how the railroad could potentially affect my site, but it is on my list of things to do. I am still going to have a main entrance and parking for various activities, but being able to share parking like this can help create more green spaces and allows people to park at one facility but use them all.