WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO?
The Pedal Power Association is fortunate to annually receive profits from the Cape Town Cycle Tour Trust. While some of the profits received is retained to run the Association and support cycling and specifically the 60-odd funrides on the annual PPA funride calendar, the majority of profits received is allocated to cycling-related projects. So, where does the money go? Read on...
PPA SUPPORTS 36 CYCLING PROJECTS IN 2010
For the third year running, the Pedal Power Association is thrilled to announce that funds obtained through cycling, will be allocated specifically to various cycling-related projects.
“We are in the fortunate position that the Pedal Power Association and the Rotary Club of Claremont are the beneficiaries of the Cape Town Cycle Tour Trust, who organises, amongst others, the annual Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour. The PPA uses any profits received in this way to run the Association, and, in 2010, will plough some R1,6 million straight back into cycling projects,” explained PPA Chairman Steve Hayward.
To this end, the Association annually advertises for project funding applications. Advertisements are placed in newspapers in the Western Cape and Gauteng, on the Association’s website and sent to various charities and cycling-related initiatives.
In the 2010 Project Funding initiative, the focus of funding concentrated on four larger projects, and thirty-two smaller projects. This year, the projects can broadly be categorized under Mountain biking (building and maintenance of trails), cycling development specifically in previously disadvantaged communities, cycling safety, and BMX.
MAIN PROJECTS FOR 2010
The Alrode BMX Club in Johannesburg approached the PPA with a request for the funding of their BMX track, a competition-level track where a Development Academy will also be implemented. The project was started in 2009 with funding raised by the club, and will be completed through the funding provided by the PPA. Amongst others, three corners of the track will be tarred, the infield will be grassed, the straights will be resurfaced and bicycles and equipment will be obtained for the Academy.
“The Alrode BMX Club has taken on a mammoth task of demolishing the club’s existing BMX track and re-building a World Class Championship track from scratch,” said Alrode chairman Henry du Bruyn. “The primary objective is to provide our increasing number of talented and enthusiastic riders from the South Eastern Gauteng regions the opportunity to practice and train on a World Class track, modeled on similar world class tracks. The project includes a social responsibility and development programme amongst youngsters from local schools in Thokosa.”
The Table Mountain MTB Project (working title) is aimed at giving Cape Town MTB tracks that will eventually circumvent the whole of Table Mountain. The project includes new trails as well as the linking of existing trails, potential bike parks, bike adventure centers and a limited number of events in order to turn Cape Town into the MTB capital of South Africa. The pilot study is both funded and spearheaded by the PPA. “We’ve already had a few meetings with role players, and are very excited about this project,” said PPA chairman Steve Hayward.
The Southernmost Foundation in Bredasdorp is aimed at introducing cycling to previously disadvantaged communities in the Overberg. The project, with PPA as its primary sponsor, focuses on promoting recreational cycling and cycling as a means of transportation. The project supports a strong safety angle, with talks and presentations on road and cycling safety to various groups in the area. These workshops are often done in conjunction with the local Police and community leaders, to get additional buy-in from communities. The Foundation aims to later establish safe cycling paths and trails in the area.
The Velokhaya BMX Oval has gone from strength to strength since construction started in 2008, with the PPA being one of the founding sponsors of this initiative in Khayelitsha. The Oval is the only national-standard track in Cape Town at present and serves BMX riders from many communities in a safe environment. Velokhaya has been instrumental over the years in developing and promoting mass participation and competitive BMX cycling in the Cape.
PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED PPA FUNDING IN 2010, IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER:
• Alrode BMX Club, for the building of a competition BMX track in Johannesburg
• Bicycling Empowerment Network (BEN) for three projects: (a) to set up a bicycle workshop (Bicycle Empowerment Centre) in Lavender Hill; (b) to assist with Cycling Safety training workshops at various schools in the Western Cape, (c) and to assist BEN to import bicycles to be distributed to commuters
• Chaeli Campaign, for specialized hand-cycles to create disability awareness through hand-cycling
• Chrysalis Academy in Tokai, for mountain bikes and helmets to be used by previously disadvantaged kids attending the Academy to teach them cycling skills, road safety skills, and bicycle maintenance skills
• Elgin Learning Foundation in the Grabouw/Vyeboom area, for 20 additional bicycles and helmets to enable children who live far from school and normally have to walk, to get to school punctually, and to expose them to a healthy sport
• Freedom Challenge: Stormberg Mountain Bike and Heritage Centre near Molteno, Eastern Cape, for trail development and support of a local development cycling initiative amongst a very poor community. Established in 2008, club members are HIV/AIDS orphans supported by the Inkwanca Care Centre. The project forms part of the Pride of Stormberg programme, a cycling-based environmental and cultural awareness programme run by youths of Molteno for scholars from the area
• Genesis BMX site in Strandfontein, for ongoing funding of the BMX track, including a container, spares, helmets, BMX bikes and helmets and more
• Hout Bay Cycling Club, with bicycles and other cycling-related support for kids from the Imizamo Yetho informal settlement
• Laingberg MTB Club Tourism project, for support of a local development cycling initiative including the development of MTB trails in the area
• Ngamathuba Development Cycling project, Wilderness, for ongoing support of a local development cycling initiative including an additional 10 bicycles and helmets used by kids from the Thembalethu High School. “Ngamathuba” means “opportunity” in Xhosa.
• Oudtshoorn Cycling Club, for support of a local development cycling initiative
• ‘Pedal for Parks’ support for rangers in the Tankwa Karoo National Park with bicycles and related kit, amongst others to assist rangers with bicycle patrols for increased area-integrity and cost effectiveness, and management in areas where vehicle patrols are not possible (eg game monitoring)
• Schapensberg MTB Trail, Somerset West, for the construction of a new MTB trail along the Schapensberg and Hottentot Holland mountains that will link Waterkloof, Mt Rozier, Journey’s End and Wederwill wineries, to which PPA members will have free access
• Southernmost Cycling Foundation, Bredasdorp, with a comprehensive programme to introduce and promote (safe) cycling in the Overberg
• Support for a pilot study to explore a MTB trail from Cape Point to Cape Town, driven by the Pedal Power Association
• WP Cycling Association: Event assistance and funding for the WP Road and WP Time trial championships
• WP Schools Academy, for funds for local (development) riders to attend the annual Eric van Enter inter-provincial competition
• Uitkyk MTB Club, Greyton, for funding to construct a BMX track at Genadendal, including bicycles and helmets
• Velokhaya/Engen Safe Cycling programme: Continued support for the programme whereby safe cycling principles are taught to some 7500 school children aged between 8 and 12
• Velokhaya BMX Oval, for continued support of the BMX track in Khayelitsha, BMX equipment and bicycle maintenance
• Westlake Village Youth Development Centre, with additional bicycles and helmets and the like to be used in their initiative amongst previously disadvantaged communities
• In addition, the Pedal Power Association is supporting the following development cycling initiatives in various ways: Alto Cycling Club (Atlantis), Cedar High School Cycling Club (Mitchells Plain), Cape Town Giants Cycling Club (Athlone), Freewheelers Cycling Club (Steenberg), Franschhoek Wheelies (Franschhoek), Langebaan Biker Boys (Langebaan), Muhammedeyah School cycling club (Wynberg/Ottery/Wetton), Rhadsport (Paarl), Southern Cape Cycling Club (Oudtshoorn), Steenberg High School cycling club (Steenberg), Suburbs Cycling Club (southern suburbs), and Pinelands North Primary (Pinelands).
* For more information, please contact the PPA General Manager, Karin Pohl, or Projects Coordinator, Angie Wilson, on (021) 689-8420; email karin@pedalpower.org.za, or projects@pedalpower.org.za.
* * Project funding applications for 2011 will open in December 2010 |