VeloWay

Whanganui Velodrome

Active 250m outdoor wooden track built in 1995 and resurfaced in 2023. Predated by a quarter mile asphalt track built in the 1930’s and used until 1994. Both located in Cooks Gardens.

Whanganui, Manawatu-Wanganui Region, including Cooks Gardens and velodrome. Whites Aviation Ltd: Photographs. Ref: WA-47133-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/30661231
An outdoor ceremony [reception for the Prince of Wales?] in Whanganui, showing uniformed cadets standing in centre and at perimeter of a velodrome, in front of a crowd. The Press (Newspaper) :Negatives. Ref: 1/2-040888-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/29940991
Cooks Gardens Track Markings & Distances – “Set of plans for Memorial Park development – Palmerston North City Council“

Cooks Gardens was the venue for Peter Snell’s world mile record in 1962

Tunnel from the carpark/entry to the west

first track was a quarter mile asphalt track, purpose-built during the Depression of the early 1930s. Used until 1994

Cooks Gardens (WestPac) Velodrome

https://whanganuicycling.nz/track-cycling/velodrome/
Old website – http://www.wanganui.velodrome.co.nz/

Ongoing roofing debate. It is one of a few outdoor wooden tracks. For the resurfacing in 2023, Accoya modified long-life wood was used (supplied by New Zealand company Hermpac), created through a non-toxic cellular modification process known as acetylation to give it a longer lifespan than ordinary wood.

Timeline:

  • 1995 – hard wood timber track installed
  • February 2021 – track closed
  • July-October 2023 – Resurfaced by Velotrack. Project Updates
  • August 2025 – wood splintering had been evident over the past eight months Article

The track is used by the Cycling Whanganui, they can be found online: Website, Facebook

Sources

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