WS Chronicle

In photo above: Sterling Swaim, left, an organizer of the event, introduces sponsors at the ground-breaking ceremony as Councilman Derwin Montgomery, center, and Mayor Allen Joines acknowledge those who brought the National Cycling Center to Winston-Salem on Friday, May 29, 2015. (Photo by Erin Mizelle for the Winston-Salem Chronicle)

By Tevin Stinson
The Chronicle

According to cycling enthusiasts, in a few years Winston-Salem will be known as one of the premier cycling cities in America.

On Friday, May 29, a ceremony was held to mark the beginning of renovations to the 42,000 square foot building at 505 North Liberty St. The building will be home to the National Cycling Center.

The center will be an official training site for USA Cycling. Dr. Richard Rauck, chairman of the National Cycling Center, said he couldn’t be more excited about the future.

“The day has finally arrived,” Rauck said, “and we couldn’t be more thrilled for the future of cycling in this community.”

The National Cycling Center will house state-of-the-art cycling training equipment, a meeting room, open kitchen and lounge areas, as well as laundry facilities and study areas for young athletes who may be in school while training. The upper level will include 10 double-occupancy rooms that will be used for teams from across the country that will come to Winston-Salem to train.

The center, which is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit, will begin a campaign in October to generate approximately $5 million for renovation of the training site, and ongoing support. Rauck said funding for the Cycling Center is also being sought from sources outside of the Winston-Salem area.

“Projections are that the building renovation will cost between $6 [million] and $8 million,”Rauck said. “The cost range is partly dependent on whether the historic tax credit will be available.”

The historic tax credit makes it possible to preserve and reuse old buildings at a cheaper cost after taxes.

Rauck and other cycling enthusiast in the area are also pursing additional Olympic designation for the center to become a Community Olympic Development Program.

“Getting the CODP designation would be a wonderful addition to the National Cycling Center,” Rauck said. “CODP centers exist to look for young talent and train athletes who may later become Olympians.”

The announcement of the Cycling Center couldn’t have been made at a better time.

Winston-Salem also was selected to host the 2016 and 2017 Volkswagen USA Cycling Professional Road & TT National Championships.
Rauck said Winston-Salem is well on its way to becoming one of the nation’s best cities for cyclists.

“With the National Cycling Center and next spring’s world-class competitions, Winston-Salem will become the premier cycling city in America,” Rauck said.