Anxious Race City supports await Council decision
One vote made all the difference. Ald. Dale Hodges, believed to be a Race City supporter, was absent from today’s meeting of City Council, which counted seven votes for and seven against Ald. Ric McIver’s motion to extend Race City’s lease. In the event of a tie the motion is defeated.
Art Mackenzie, owner of Race City, said he was disappointed with the outcome of the vote.
“I appreciate that aldermen McIver and Connelly put this motion forward. And I appreciate the effort that Ald. McIver, as my alderman, made on our behalf,” he said. “In essence, it (defeat of the motion) doesn’t really change anything. My position with the City hasn’t changed a bit.”
Mr. Mackenzie has sought legal advice and is of the firm opinion that he has a lease with the City and that lease is valid. He plans to take a few days and decide on his next move. Fighting City Hall is tough, he says, and very expensive. The City has already dealt his business a body blow by announcing publicly that Race City must vacate the premises on 68th Street SE by 2010. Now he must decide if he wants to spend money enforcing his lease in court.
Motorsport enthusiasts showed up at Council today to demonstrate their support for Ald. McIver’s motion. There were some long faces at the conclusion of the vote.
Rick Fransecone, Calgary Motorsports Association
Rick Francescone is head of the Calgary Motorsports Association. He and his fellow members lobbied aldermen long and hard on the issue. Mr. Francescone says they may have lost this battle, but the war is far from over.
“Obviously we’re disappointed, we’re shocked. We feel alienated by Council making the decision based on information that remains secret,” he said. “We’re not beat yet and we’re not giving up.”
Ald. McIver was pleased to hear the motorsports community is still spoiling for a fight to preserve Race City. He says it is possible for him to re-introduce the motion in six months, but by then the City will have moved forward with its plans and Race City needs to decide on its strategy before then.
“I plan to talk to the folks in the motorsport community about the next steps and we’ll put together some kind of battle plan. There are still other options, such as integrating the storm water retention ponds with the road race course” he said.
“Heaven forbid the City and a business should work out a win-win compromise.”
Allen Berg, Allen Berg Racing Schools Inc.
Allen Berg is a former Formula One driver, one of a few Canadians to compete at that level. He started his career in Calgary racing karts as a teenager. Eventually he moved to European circuits to gain experience.
“My first motor race was at the Edmonton International Speedway which, unfortunately, is no longer around either. A lot of the racing took place outside Calgary. That was a big part of the reason I wasn’t well known in Calgary because there wasn’t really a racing facility when I was making my way up the racing ladder,” he said.
Mr. Berg operates a driving school that focuses on auto and kart racing, as well as safe driving techniques. He has scoured Calgary for an alternate site in the event Race City closes in 2010. To date he has not found a replacement and is unsure of how he will conduct his classes.
Tim Johnson, motorcycle racer
Tim Johnson has been road racing motorcycles since 1993. Mostly he races in Calgary, but occasionally packs up his bike and heads off to tracks in other parts of Western Canada and the United States.
“It’s expensive to travel and the cheapest way to race is at home, so we’re really lucky to have a facility like Race City,” he said.
Mr. Johnson and a partner are promoting the Calgary leg of the Parts Canada National Superbike Series. According to the Canadian Superbike web site, the event will be the 27th hosted at Race City. Destruction of Race City will likely mean an end to superbike racing in Calgary, Mr. Johnson said.
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this is complete bullshit
Now we get to street race again!
WHAT… I only have three slow timeslips in ten years, and one of them cost me a bucket full of pistons.
It will be interesting to see what finally becomes of the Race City land. Promoters complain of dwindling car counts in most racing divisions. A worn out facility with year to year patches and a non concerned city council, racing will most likely be gone for some time in Calgary.
Sure wish Bronco would have whined to the province for additional cash for the racing community like he tends to do for about everything else.
Time to go out and enjoy our new pedestrian bridge.
Yep I am mad!
Hate to say this but it’s time to let it die folks.
car counts dying, no fan support, and with that comes less and less track sponsorship, it wasn’t going to survive regardless., good for trying, my heart goes out to you… but with or without a lease it was allready dead.
regards,
longer there than you
Where was Hodges?
What was so important that he had to miss the vote?
Regardless 7 negative votes out of 14 is pretty significant demonstration of non support.
The liberal leftist marxists are winning!
Well, we can find out who voted for/against and vote accordingly in 2010!
Well i must say I don’t like the out comebut look at it this way all the kids with their hopped up cars can go down town and use 9th ave again gee think about it racing all week and now tthe police will have more to do I think the City should take a better look again hell with all the drive by shootings might as well have road wars to it all sounds good to me Do all those that voted against i wish u the best on the roads and for the safety of allthe people in calgary and u all should look at what has happened it the past when other race tracks have been shut down in the world yes i don’t think the desision was a good one sry Art and all Racers this town does not support you or the industry and cash that racing brought here
By the way, thank you to the people writing these articles! There seems to be little coverage of this issue elsewhere! I have to keep this bookmarked with my motorsports bookmarks!
Reijo
MHARA / Medicine Hat Speedway just heard about Race City closing and we would like to say it is a sad day for the entire racing community when we lose a track.
On behalf of the Board of Directors and members, we would like to extend an open invitation to any drivers who want to come and race down here to “COME ON DOWN” You would be more than welcome.
Our rule packages can be obtained by sending an email to MHARANEWS@shaw.ca or off this website:www.medicinehatspeedway.org
Our General meetings are held the first Wednesday of every month and an open inviation to attend is also extended.
We do have a great racing venue in Medicine Hat, so don’t give up on racing, come join our team.
Yes, it is a sad day for Calgary and racers. I remember growing up at this track, this track was an Icon in Alberta, and Canadian Racing. It will be missed. I feel sorry for all those Racers and Fans, with small children that will never see their kids grow up without such an amazing sport and gives value to the family unit. Its more than Race Track, its a way of life that will be gone. Art my thoughts are with you and your family.
Kathy Hadnagy
Bridge County Raceway
Lethbridge, Alberta
SAME OLD BS A BUNCH OF SUITS MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT SHIT THAT HAS STIFF CONSEQUENCES AFTER THIER DECISIONS ARE MADE THESE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE THAT GIVE THEMSELEVES RAISES.WHAT A F…… JOKE.ONE PIECE OF ADVICE TO THESE PEOPLE DONT JAY WALK!!!!!!!
I’m waiting for the day there is more racing on the streets and someone gets killed!!!! then Bronco can ask for more government funding for more policemen,so they can police the situation ! Maybe some day,his kids will get busted for speeding on the streets,or own a business that no longer gets support, or tourists no longer come to support something they do! BECAUSE THE POLITICIANS SAY NO!! AGAIN! I dont normally vote,but next time I will. IT WONT BE FOR THESE COUNSEL MEMBERS!
How can they be so dumb to close the only race track in calgary. Now the races will be taken to the streets
Well for starters, My cousins have raced there since i can remember… I think this is rediculous, how is it that they can take our track and turn it into a landfill or an overflow, i have heard they arent even to sure what they want to do with the land. Im sick of government bs. They dont know anything they are cold heartless people who are just greedy about money, they dont appretiate the true astonishment that race city brought to us. I have been going there since i could barely walk… How about listening to the people for once instead of your greedy little minds only fit for money! like everyone else has said.. good luck cracking down on street races now… you thought it was bad before, just wait and see what you have done, i am outraged!. man those government A-holes tick me off…I would love nothing more then to jump into the future and give them a show on the kids who are going to go racing on the streets, pretty much committing suicide! Way to go! I hope your proud of your desicion and I hope your happy when outraged parents come to you because you decided racing on the street was safer and thats how their children died. selfish, greedy, cold, heartless… i can continue, i hate government for a reason and this is one of them, taking away icons that the people enjoy it gets kids to hang out with their parents, and little kids to see something that not alot of kids get to see.. or a bunch of friends going to have a SAFE night out! idiots…. again, i am outraged. I hope something can change but im not to sure theres any more hope. I will keep my fingers crossed and hope for a miracle, cause i really dont want to see that track go. i never see my cousins because they live way up north so when they come down here and we watch them race its one of the most amazing experiences i have ever had!… Indeed i will miss it. good luck and to the a-holes taking race city away from all its fans…Karma will come back ten fold! one way or another you will realise how big of a mistake you have made.
I used to live in a large city in Southern Ontario and street racing was huge there. It was a big problem as you never knew where and when the races would take place. The City tried to crack down. But, there was nothing they could really do to stop it. All I have to say is if they close race city it’s all on city council’s head. I have no doubt there will be street racing happening. And, trust me no matter what they threaten or actually do it will happen. And, with the street racing lives will be lost. If they would just allow race city to remain open this would give people a legal, safe place to race. The track also has it’s benefits. Those who do race there are better drivers on the road. They have the experience on how to properly handle their vehicles. If city council thinks street racing is happening now. I laugh… just wait. As, this City out of the many places I’ve lived is very calm and timid when it comes to drivers having fun on the roads.