Late last year, Auckland Council voted to consolidate speedway racing in the region to one venue by approving an 11 million NZD upgrade to Waikaraka Park.
That condemned Western Springs, which is in the midst of a public consultation to decide its future.
‘Save Our Speedway’ campaigners still hold out hope that the speedway can be saved and racing can continue at the historic site, which boasts nearly 100 years of activity.
On Monday, a group made up of multiple vested interests met with the Auckland Council.
To that point, advocates had been stonewalled by the council from speaking at any meetings that impacted the racing venue.
“After 517 days since Western Springs Speedway representatives first reached out to the council, today they were finally given the opportunity to speak to councillors,” Councillor John Watson wrote.
“So much for democracy in the current regime but boy did the people who spoke this morning make a good job of it! No more bureaucrats or individuals with vested interests regurgitating what suits their self-serving agendas.
“Today… finally we heard from the people who really know what they’re talking about – representatives of all five main racing classes, elite drivers, fans, businesses and sponsors.”
“It is an absolute travesty that such collective knowledge and expertise has been quite cynically and deliberately shut out of successive rounds of decision making at this council.”
A public consultation via the Auckland Council website has listed three options for the future use of Western Springs.
Two options for new stadia have been proposed, including a multi-use 12,500- to 15,000-seat football stadium and sports complex.
Dubbed Auckland Arena, the new stadium would be privately funded and would serve as the new home of the Auckland FC A-League club.
The other option is for an amphitheatre in the image of the Hollywood Bowl that would have a 50,000 capacity.
The third option is for neither of those and to extend the existing arrangement, which would extend the lease of the incumbent rugby club and potentially include speedway racing activities.
Auckland Council this week implored residents to have their say. Already, the council has received more than 9000 submissions.
“It’s great to see strong interest in the future of Western Springs Stadium,” said Max Hardy, Auckland Council’s director of group strategy and chief executive’s office.
“We want thoughtful input from a wide cross-section of Aucklanders so that decisions we make reflect the full range of perspectives on how to best use this significant community asset.”
Nick Hill, Chief Executive of Tataki Auckland Unlimited, the council’s economic development agency, said the community should speak up on its preference.
“Western Springs Stadium is a special player in our stadium network and there’s huge potential there,” said Hill.
“Once we have the community’s views alongside other important determinants in the decision making process, we’ll be better placed to support the future of the stadium in a way that better serves more Aucklanders for years to come.
“Please tell us what you think of the options we’ve put in front of you.
Public consultation closes on Sunday, June 15 at 11:59pm. That will be followed by a two-week review. A full analysis of the feedback will be publicly available in late July.
At the same time that Western Springs advocates plead their case, upgrades have begun at Waikaraka Park ahead of the 2025/26 season.
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