Resurfacing of the Hurstville Oval Velodrome will start in April after Georges River Council awarded grants of $50,000 each to the St George Cycling Club and Cycling NSW.
St George Cycling Club president Phill Bates said the work will mean that major events will can return to the velodrome on a regular basis.
It is a big turnaround for the club which was in danger of being booted from its spiritual home back in 2010 when the then Hurstville Council wanted to remove it from the oval.
The cycle track is one of the oldest sporting venues in the region and has produced more than 100 national representatives and international stars.
There has been representation from the track at every Olympic and Commonwealth Games since 1956, with many cyclists winning gold medals.
Mr Bates said the resurfacing is expected to be done in April.
“It means we can go back to running major carnivals there,” he said.
“We haven’t been able to events there because of the safety of the track.
“With the cracks of bumps when riders are riding at a 60km event it becomes a bit dangerous.
“The track hasn’t been upgraded since 1988. It used to be done every 10 years.
“We used to do four to five carnivals a year up to the early 2000s, so we want to get back to running some bit events which will bring people back to Hurstville.”
The resurfacing is expected to take a week and cost a total of $150,000.
“The work being done now is setting the track up for some time,” Mr Bates said.
“It means that the club will be hosting major events including a four-hour Madison during the next track season which goes from October to March.”
The grants are being made under the Stronger Communities Fund Program which the NSW Government gave to newly merged councils to kick-start projects that improve community infrastructure and services.
Cycling NSW Chief Executive Phil Ayres thanked the council for “ensuring the longevity of this vital piece of cycling infrastructure”.
"Suburban and regional cycling tracks are the nursery for our sport. They are an important step before riders graduate to Olympic level indoor venues,” he said.
“Every Olympic cyclist started their track cycling on tracks like Hurstville Oval, itself the breeding ground for countless Australian reps over the years.”
Georges River Council Administrator, John Rayner, said that the upgrade project is being managed by the council.
“We will ensure that the velodrome is reinstated to its former glory,” he said.
“I would like to congratulate the St George Cycling Club and Cycling NSW for their successful applications to the Stronger Communities Fund Program and wish them great success in hosting top line competition in the future.”
More than 60 applications were received by Council requesting funding through the Stronger Communities Fund Program.
Of these applicants, 27 were awarded funding ranging from $10,000 to $50,000, totalling $1 million in funding for local community groups.
