Bryan Macdonald, an admitted former street racer, waits in line to race his car at Friday's Secret Street event at Race City

The Calgary motorsport community is applying a full court press on local politicians ahead of Monday’s City Council vote on SE alderman Ric McIver’s motion to honour the lease with Race City, with mixed results to date.  Friday’s Secret Street event was well attended by race fans and racers, but a planned competition for fastest cop was cancelled after Edmonton’s Blue Line Racing Association pulled out and local RCMP and Alberta Sheriff’s teams followed suit amid allegations of political interference.  And a war of words is brewing between Mayor Dave Bronconnier’s weekend remarks supporting the closure of Race City drew an angry retort from the Calgary Motorsport Council.

The mayor was reported in local media this weekend saying the City needs the Race City property to expand the Shepard Landfill.  Motorsport Council president Rick Fransecone disputes this claim, saying “It is our opinion the Race City issue is not about needing landfill space for dumping garbage, but needing landfill space that can be sold to a
Private Garbage Contractor.”

Mr. Fransecone added that by keeping the Race City issue in-camera and refusing to dscuss the specifics of why the City needs the property for the landfull, it “makes them look like they are hiding something. Perhaps they are.”

Race City actually has a lease on the property until 2025.  Although City officials refuse to comment publicly on discussions with Race City owner Art Mackenzie, sources have confirmed to SE Calgary News that the municipality is claiming Mr. Mackenzie broke the conditions of the lease when he was several weeks late with a renewal notice in 2000.  Mr. Mackenzie says he was told by the City lease manager that the late notice was not a problem and he notes that the City has continued to cash his lease payments for the past nine years, making his case that the lease was in effect.

Mr. Fransecone also had harsh words for the City Friday when the fastest cop race fell apart.  In an emailed press release entitled “City Hall Displays Red Light to Boys in Blue,” he stated that “In light of the political pressure exerted on the various law enforcement officers that were to be involved in the The Battle of Alberta, Law Enforcement Style and the Beat the Heat Charity events, the Motorsport Council of Calgary is forced to remove these events from the Secret Street program…”

Kevin Brookwell, spokesperson for the Calgary Police Service, denied any political pressure was exerted to sabatoge the Secret Street rally.  He said the CPS only learned of the event two or three days beforehand and that was not enough time for it to properly process the request, which includes ensuring proper safety measure and liability protections are in place. 

Mr. Fransecone claims the request for CPS participation was submitted verbally a week or more prior to the event.  Mr. Brookwell says the Motor Council may have spoken to an officer, but that information was never relayed to senior officials.

Did the CPS request Edmonton Police to pressure Blue Line Racing Assocation, an independent organization comprised of Edmonton police officers, to pull out of its commitment to the Friday event?

Mr. Fransecone says he was told that each Blue Line member received a phone call from their superior officer saying they were, under no circumstances, to participate.  Mr. Brookwell says the only communication between the CPS and Edmonton police was to inform their northern counterparts that CPS was not officially sanctioning the event, but members were free to attend as private citizens.  Representatives from Blue Line Racing and Edmonton Police did not respond to requests for interviews.

Even though the fastest cop race was cancelled, Friday’s Secret Street in support of Race City was packed to capacity.  Racers and their cars filled the entire parking lot, which in the past has hosted 800 to 1,000 autos.  The bleachers were filled with approximately a thousand race fans for what may be one of the last Secret Street events ever held in Calgary.

Ald. McIver waded into the controversy, saying City Council has been told by the administration that 160 acres of land is available next to the Race City property that could accommodate the Shepard Landfill expansion, but it would add an extra $3 million to the cost because the land is further away.

He notes that the City spends tens of millions of dollars every year to subsidize Calgary recreational facilities and wonders why a one-time cost of a few million more is so unpalatable to some of his colleagues on Council.  In the case of Race City, he adds, the economic benefit of direct and indirect jobs, the draw of tourists to racing and other events, and money spend in southeast businesses more than justifies the expenditure.

Ald. McIver’s motion to honour the City’s lease with Race City is slated for today’s Council meeting.  It requires eight votes to pass.  Ald. McIver’s January motion to extend Race City’s lease resulted in a 7-7 tie, with Mayor Bronconnier casting the tie-breaking against the motion.  But if Ald. Dale Hodges, rumored to be a Race City supporter, the motion could receive eight votes and pass.

Saturday the Motor Council organized a 200-car rally in support of Race City.  The rally began at Macleod Trail and 65 Avenue SW and proceeded downtown.  Mr. Fransecone said the rally was very successful in educating Calgarians about the impending closure of the race track and the dangers of increased illegal street racing if young drivers don’t have a facility to race their cars.

Related posts:

1. ALD. RIC McIVER BACK FOR LAST DITCH ATTEMPT TO SAVE RACE CITY Race City's parking lot is often a sea of sports...
2. RACE CITY SUPPORTERS SHOULD BE CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC, CAREFUL IN LOBBYING CITY COUNCIL By Markham Hislop, Editor Race City supporters aren’t dancing in...
3. POLICE FROM AROUND ALBERTA TAKE A SPIN AT RACE CITY AT FRIDAY'S SECRET STREET EVENT 2003 Tiberon race car of the Blue Line Racing Association...
4. OTHERS' MISFORTUNES MAY BRING GOOD LUCK FOR RACE CITY Race cars in front of the stands on the oval...
5. A PUBLIC CHALLENGE TO ALDERMEN FOX-MELLWAY AND CECI FOR THE UPCOMING RACE CITY MOTION By Markham Hislop, Editor The tale of Art Mackenzie’s fight...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.