It comes after Cumberland Council issued a call for Expressions of Interest (EOI) for a 21-year lease over Lidcombe Oval, which includes the velodrome.
One of three outdoor facilities remaining in Greater Sydney, the velodrome has been in continuous use since the 1930s.
However Neo Cycling Club vice president, Stelio Pappas, said both his club and the Lidcombe Auburn Cycling Club (LACC) have already each been asked to reduce their training nights this year to accommodate the Wests Magpies.
He said they were concerned any lease agreement would further limit their access “by design or by stealth”, adding that the EOI process felt “geared towards awarding an anchor tenant lease to a cashed up, pokies funded, out of district leagues club”.
“Track cycling is an Olympic sport that Australia has won numerous gold medals in and Lidcombe Oval remains the breeding ground and training venue for current national level riders, as well as the next generation of Olympic stars,” he said.
“Depending on how the council decides to proceed with the EOI, this proud heritage is at grave risk.”
LACC spokesperson Nicola Rutzou also pointed out that while football codes could train at other grounds, the specific needs of track cycling were limited to the velodrome.
“It’s also the only type of venue that can be used for small children to learn how to ride on the track and to learn road cycling skills,” she said.
Cr Ned Attie successfully argued against a move by Councillor George Campbell to amend the EOI to preserve access for cyclists, saying setting restrictions on the EOI process would set a “bad precedent”.
Comment on a draft Plan of Management for Wyatt Park, which encompasses Lidcombe Oval, closes on February 22.
