Address |
1479 Maple Ave
Northbrook IL 60062 |
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Web | www.northbrookcyclecommittee.org/abouterv |
Hours |
Seasonal - Opens April 15 |
Location Type | Facility |
Amenities | Lighted Cycling Track/Velodrome, Soccer Field |
🚧 Ed Rudolph Velodrome 🚧
The Ed Rudolph Velodrome is currently closed for necessary repairs due to the effects of the freeze and thaw cycle. The repair materials require warm and dry conditions for optimal results. Repairs started on May 17, and the Velodrome track will reopen once they are completed. Updates will be posted here and via Field, Facility & Event Status.
The Northbrook Park District offers a Youth Cycling Program and special events at the track. Northbrook residents can use the quarter-mile track when it’s not reserved for races, training or Park District events.
On Thursday nights in the summer, the Velodrome attracts top cyclists from the Midwest to weekly races, hosted by the Northbrook Cycle Committee. About 200 riders take part in the Thursday night races, achieving speeds of up to 45 miles per hour.
Racers use track bikes with fixed gears and no brakes. Spectators are welcome at $2 per person (Children 12 and under are free). Spectators enjoy a front-row seat to the action and share the exhilaration as they support the riders.
The Northbrook Park District encourages everyone to visit the Velodrome and experience the excitement of racing up close.
History
Former Park District Commissioner Ed Rudolph helped design and build the bicycle track in 1960 with a perimeter for track cycling and a grassy infield for soccer games. During the winters, the Velodrome was flooded to create a speed skating rink and served as a practice rink for members of U.S. Winter Olympics teams. In the 1990s, the Park District ended that practice, due to the facility’s inability to retain water, which seeped through the soccer field. The track’s asphalt was resurfaced in 1989 and in 2004, and lights and seating have been added.
Cycle through the Parks!
Thank you George Garner Cyclery for sponsoring bike repair stations at these parks: