The tug-of-war between the Auckland Council and advocacy group ‘Save our Speedway’ remains unresolved.
That decision was at the expense of Western Springs. The lease was not renewed, and speedway activity ceased in March.
Open-wheel racing was consolidated to Waikaraka Park alongside stock cars and saloons, with a variety of upgrades made to accommodate the multiple classes.
Despite the open-wheel promotion moving to Waikaraka Park, the Save our Speedway group is intent on reviving racing at Western Springs.
Auckland Council and its cultural, events and destination agency Tataki Auckland Unlimited held a public consultation earlier this year, inviting feedback on proposals for the future use of the stadium.
Nearly 15,000 submissions were received. Auckland Council said there was no clear majority for any one option, leaving the future of Western Springs in limbo.
Four options were proposed. Keeping the status quo and retaining current arrangements (Option 3A) received the least support with 16 percent of the votes.
The Auckland Arena proposal (Option 1), which was to become the home of A League team Auckland FC, received 21 percent of the votes.
That proposal was expected to cost between $200 million NZD ($173 million AUD) and $300 million NZD ($260 million AUD) but was eventually withdrawn.
The Western Springs Bowl (Option 2), a purpose-built concert venue, received 30 percent of the votes.
The fourth option, to explore other ideas (Option 3B), received the most support with 33 percent of the votes. Save our Speedway lobbied its supporters to vote for Option 3B.
Options 3A and 3B received 4500 comments supporting the retention of speedway at Western Springs.
Tataki Auckland Unlimited chief executive Nick Hill said the council is set to meet in early 2026 to discuss the future use of Western Springs.
“We are scheduled to go back to the council when it meets in the new year, so probably around February, on what the options are, and then they will make some decisions on what the future is,” Hill told Speedcafe.
“But in the meantime, our interest is just getting probably more music festivals and activity there.”
Western Springs has not fallen silent despite speedway activity ceasing. The Auckland venue has been used for concerts, and will host the upcoming Laneway Festival in late January.
Hill cast doubt on the return of racing to Western Springs, but would not rule it out.
“I can’t see a case. We’re certainly not advocating that,” he explained.
“The decisions were made to invest the $11 million (into Waikaraka Park) on the assumption that it’s not by the council, so you have to assume the council shares that view.
“The track has now been sewn in grass. The Laneway Festival at the end of January, it’ll all be in grass.
“I don’t see how that happens. They would need the council to make a decision, for a start,” he added.
“As it’s set up now, it’s not something we would do. So the council would need to make a decision, but that would be in conflict with the fact that the council spent $11 million on the development.”
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The Save our Speedway group, under the Western Springs Speedway Association (WSSA) banner, has launched legal action against the council over its handling of the decision.
“They’ve sought to take legal action,” said Hill.
“I respect their right to do that, and respect the role of the courts and so on, but I struggle to see the merits of the case. Personally, I just don’t see how it’s going to happen.
“That’s not to say that ultimately there isn’t a way they might be able to achieve that, but fundamentally, it needs them to convince the council that it’s a good thing.”
The Western Springs Speedway Association said it has the necessary financial resources to continue racing at the historic oval.
They claim to have $20 million NZD ($17.4 million AUD) in capital to contribute towards a new, multi-purpose facility at no cost to taxpayers.
Terry Michaels, owner of the Health & Sports Fitness Club, is supporting the proposal that would revive the speedway and retain the incumbent Ponsonby Rugby Club.
A redevelopment of Western Springs would include new clubrooms, new changing rooms, a gym, child-minding services, a 25-metre heated swimming pool, a children’s pool, and a speedway racing museum. That proposal reportedly comes at no cost to the Auckland Council.
In a New Zealand Herald report, Hill said the Western Springs Speedway Association proposal was not formally considered as it was non-compliant.
“The WSSA is actively refining and promoting its proposal to increase the profitability and year-round use of Western Springs Stadium while preserving open wheel speedway,” said the Western Springs Speedway Association in an update to Speedcafe.
“Workshops held prior to the recent local elections received strong positive feedback from councillors.”
Waikaraka Park has a lease in place until 2051 with the Auckland Stock and Saloon Car Club.
It’s understood Bruce Robertson, who promotes the two major codes at Waikarka Park, has a two-year agreement in place to promote open-wheel racing at the venue. The Save our Speedway group has expressed concerns about the duration of that deal.
Public messaging from the Auckland Council, Tataki Auckland Unlimited, the Maungakiekie-Tamaki Local Board, and the Auckland Stock and Saloon Car Club is that the upgrades safeguard open-wheel racing’s future at Waikaraka Park.
In the meantime, Auckland’s open-wheel racing season is set to begin on Saturday, December 13.
Robertson said it would “probably take some work” to get rusted on Western Springs supporters to come to Waikaraka Park.
“There’ll be some of them that will bury their head in the sand, I guess,” Robertson told Speedcafe.
“Once they come and see the racing… the racing should be spectacular here, with a banked track and wider track and a good track surface where Western Springs, we struggled with a very poor track there.
“Here, we should be able to produce them a track that they will like. They’ve raced at Waikaraka Park before, so most of them have raced here, but to get the fans across, I guess if they see exciting racing, they’ll be back. That’s for sure.
“We’re running them as separate meetings. There are two separate promotions here. There’s the Auckland Stock and Saloon Car Club, which I’m looking after and have been for the last 12 or 13 years.
“When I first came in here, the club was in the red for about $80,000 so we’ve turned that around and ended up with a world-class facility here at the speedway.”
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