28 Jul 2011

Anger over proposed cycling centre funding

9:28 am on 28 July 2011

The possibility that rates money could be used to help build the National Cycling Centre in Waikato has angered Grey Power and ratepayer groups in the region.

The groups held a public meeting in Hamilton on Wednesday over Waikato Regional Council's plan to consult on whether it should put $6 million into the project.

Waikato has until September to come up with the money or the $28 million national cycling centre will go elsewhere.

The head of the Waipa ratepayers group, Pat Bishop, says the centre would not be sustainable and ratepayers would need to bail it out.

Rob Waddell, who chairs the Home of Cycling Trust, says there is a lot of misinformation about the project, such as who will use it and funding details.