SOUTH CHICAGO — The South Chicago Velodrome is again fighting for its survival with a cascade of increasingly worse dominoes falling if it doesn’t raise $2,000 by April 8.
The bowled wooden bicycle racing track at 8615 S. Burley Ave. needs to raise $2,000 by April 8 and another $2,000 by April 17 to pay its insurance bills.
Organizer Marcus Moore said a chain of bad things for the track will be set off if the group misses its insurance payment.
“If our insurance goes in arrears, we lose the land lease, which means we have no access to the track, and it goes back to Michigan,” Moore said.
Reporter Sam Cholke on the latest hurdles facing the South Chicago Veldrome.
Reporter Sam Cholke on the latest hurdles facing the South Chicago Veldrome.
Moore and other cyclists were thrilled last spring when they were able to work out a deal with track owner Michigan-based V-Worldwide and property owner U.S. Steel to take over the track after the previous owner, Emanuele Bianchi, walked away from the track when his broader plan for a cycling center went belly up in September 2014.
Since then, Moore and a handful of volunteers have found themselves juggling bills for renting the land and the track while also trying to make repairs, start a youth league and other items on a long to-do list.
“I understand we’re behind, but we’re also doing something that takes time for people to catch on to,” Moore said. “I’m hopeful it’s just a matter of continuing to go forward, pedaling and staying up.”
Moore said open riding will resume in April and it’s been difficult to raise money during the cold winter months when the track was covered in snow.
He said the biggest need now is for more volunteers, people to take on small responsibilities at the track and really own it, such as building relationships with high schools on the Southeast Side.
“We want to talk to a few science teachers about developing a curriculum that uses the velodrome,” Moore said.
He admitted it was a difficult time for the track, but said it can still be a success if it can survive for the next three years and build a youth league that can keep the track alive over the long run and supplement the income from races and open riding times.
The velodrome is selling ride passes, sponsorships and is accepting donations through its website.
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