By Dan Schroeder
Regular readers of Weber County Forum will remember Ogden City’s Tour de Drome event, held on May 1 to raise money for the proposed velodrome and field house. Readers may also have noticed that we haven’t heard much about the velodrome in the last several months.
Now, as October draws to a close, let’s recall some of what was said back in May. Quoting from Scott Schwebke’s article:
The Tour de Drome wasn’t expected to be a big money maker and was aimed at creating a buzz regarding the velodrome and field house project, said [Ogden CAO John] Patterson. “It's the number one high-adventure priority (in the city),” he said....Another larger bike tour to raise money for the field house and velodrome is scheduled for October, said Patterson.
Yet despite Mr. Patterson’s promise, here we are at the end of October and there’s been nary a word about this “larger bike tour”.
Could it be that the velodrome is no longer the city’s “number one high-adventure priority”?
Or could it be that the event was canceled because somebody at the city finally realized it’s illegal to put on a fundraiser and divert the proceeds to the Ogden Community Foundation?
Or could it be that the fundraising effort for the velodrome has gone underground, avoiding high-profile buzz-creating events, to better keep the money hidden from the city council and the public?
Until we hear more through official channels, the floor is open for readers to share gossip and speculation about the velodrome.
