Access road to Varsity Speed Park, looking north to Race City
Faced with the threat of the possible collapse of the Calgary Kart Racing Club, the City of Calgary Waste and Recycling deparment has relented and provided temporary access to 68 Street SE for Saturday’s Round 2 series of racing.
The club was forced to postpone Round 1, scheduled for April 26, because inclement weather turned the temporary access through Race City grounds into a mud bog.
Since the City began construction on 68 Street, the only access to the Varsity Speed Track has been the road west of the oval track, through the Race City dirt spectator parking lot and across a small field.
The Club has done the best job it could with borrowed equipment to build a path to the track, but even light rain makes it impassable. With heavy rain, not even all-wheel drive vehicles can make it through.
Cancelling races has severe consequences for the karting club and businesses that serve it. Fred Causer, club manager, estimates that a cancelled race costs the club about $8,000. Many more cancelled races and the club would not be financially viable, he says.
Mr. Causer made that arguement to City Hall, specifically Waste and Recycling Services, this past week and City bureaucrats responded. They agreed to open 68 Street off 114 Avenue SE from six to eight a.m. and from five to six p.m. on race day, Saturday May 9. The gate will otherwise be closed.
Spectators still have to use the Race City access if they are brave enough to traverse the muddy access path. Mr. Causer says the club is encouraging fans to not come out to Saturday’s race, but to wait for future races when the weather hopefully improves.
Even though Saturday’s access to 68 Street is an experiment, Mr. Causer says he is hopeful the club will be able to work with City Hall to ensure access to 68 Street for future racing events.
Rick McIver, Ward 12
Ald. Ric McIver, a vocal supporter of Race City, says his office was in contact with Waste and Recycling Services early Friday morning to support the club’s access to 68 Street. He says he will continue to pressure the bureaucrats to negotiate access throughout the racing season.
He also points out that Race City is still a lessee of the City, which has a legal obligation to grant the track reasonable access to its facility.
Waste and Recycling has maintained access through the VIP entrance off 114 Avenue, but Race City argues that is not reasonable access for racing events that draw thousands of spectators and many racers with trucks and trailers.
Art Mackenzie, Race City owner, is encouraged by City Hall’s new cooperative attitude and hopes the 68 Street experiement with the kart racing club will spill over into the track’s other events.
Temporary path leading to Varsity Speed Park
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