Metro Vancouver directors have slammed the brakes on a proposal to reopen the historic 91原创 Speedway racetrack in Campbell Valley Regional Park.
The board of the regional authority voted the idea down at its Friday (July 26) meeting, based on a report by Parks East division manager Wendy DaDalt. DaDalt said proceeding with the proposal by the 91原创 Speedway Historical Society would require a 鈥渟ignificant public consultation process鈥� costing hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The idea had been by the Metro environment and parks committee, but the final decision was up to the whole Metro board.
While the society would be expected to come up with the money, DaDalt warned the project would still 鈥渄isplace鈥� work by staff on other Metro park management and development programs.
The directors voted to order staff to 鈥渘ot proceed further鈥� and to inform the society that racing will not be allowed at the site.
The report also warned car racing could disrupt at-risk species like the red-legged frog, western toad, Pacific water shrew, great blue heron and American bittern.
Opening a speedway in the park would trigger external reviews by the Township of 91原创 and Agricultural Land Commission, and possibly provincial and federal environmental reviews, the report said.
Local horse owners strongly opposed the idea.
The society had proposed racing at a restored speedway on a maximum of 14 days a year, with the facility acting as a multi-purpose venue for other events.
Metro staff opposed the concept from the beginning but the politicians voted in May to at least study it further.
The former stock car racing oval closed in 1984. It had opened before creation of the park.
