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UCI race course
Thursday, 5 August 2010
1:50 PM
Media Releases
In choosing to bid for the 2010 UCI Road World Championships the Council and the State Government recognised that the opportunity to host such a major international event was a rare chance to deliver a major economic stimulus to the Victorian and Geelong economies, said General Manager Projects, Recreation and Central Geelong Dean Frost.
“However to meet the UCI’s strict criteria for the event there was no flexibility on the race course - the UCI officials required a suitable series of hills including an uphill finishing straight. For our course to be competitive when bidding for the World Championships, we needed to offer a high-profile, diverse course which showcased Geelong” he said.
“Without being able to offer the existing course layout Geelong would not have won the right to host the event and we would have lost the opportunity to bring in the estimated economic expenditure of $50 million that the event is expected to deliver to Geelong,” he said.
“We did not have the option of staging the World Championships on rural roads for example – it had to be in Central Geelong or we would have lost the event to another city.
“The City recognises the impact the event will have on some individual businesses and residents but has to weigh this against the significant benefit the championships will provide, both now and into the future, for Geelong at a community wide level.
“We expect the event will bring unprecedented foot traffic to business areas such as Moorabool, Malop and Pakington Streets and we hope that traders are able to benefit from the crowds of people at their door step.
“Some businesses will benefit directly through sales during event week whilst others we expect will share in the significant increase in dollars generated in the local economy in the weeks and months after the event,” Mr Frost said.
“With many millions of dollars injected into the economy people are then likely to want to spend on a broader range of consumer items such as new televisions or home renovations – major events deliver an economic stimulus in a similar way to the federal stimulus packages we’ve seen in recent times.
“Since the awarding of the event to Geelong the City has worked very closely with the event organisers to ensure the impacts of the event, including traffic and parking impacts, are minimised wherever possible.
“This work will continue right up until the event so that we will have exploited every available opportunity to provide vehicle access or find alternative arrangements,” Mr Frost said.
“One of the important points for everyone to be aware is that emergency vehicle access will be available at all times,” Mr Frost added.
“The City in conjunction with the UCI Organising Committee is currently implementing an extensive communication program to explain the logistics of the event to both the business community and residents situated on the course – through this program we are taking on board feedback and where possible making adjustments to the event plans to accommodate the concerns of individuals.”
“City officers and event officials have been having one on one discussions with traders for some months and will continue to do this throughout the pre-event phase.
“We have also produced a comprehensive Business Get Ready Kit which gives advice on how businesses can maximise the commercial opportunities of the event and work around the impacts,” Mr Frost said.
The communication plan includes forums with traders and residents and a series of individually addressed letters including detailed mail outs to residents and businesses in the vicinity of the course in August and September.
During the event there will be a special hot line to assist residents and businesses if they are having difficulties and are not sure what to do, Mr Frost said.
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