Wakefield Park woes

greenMachine · Postby **greenMachine** » Wed Aug 10, 2022 9:11 pm

Track rats may be aware, but the operators of WP have been in the wars lately. Basically, the last DA approved for the operation of the circuit was in 1993, when it was established as a very different beast to what it is today. Long story short, the track has been operating outside the approved DA conditions. The operators lodged a new DA, it ended up going to the Land and Environment Court, who imposed some stringent conditions (mainly noise-related, but effectively cutting its level of operations (events) drastically) unless they observed the 1993 DA conditions.

My mail is suggesting that the circuit will cease operations at the end of this month, no surprise since the circuit must be bleeding money under the 1993 DA conditions. Nothing official that I have seen yet though.

If the speculation is accurate, I presume this means it will be sold, and the new owners would have to thrash out a new DA with the council and the noise-sensitive residents. Or maybe Benalla will mothball it while they do the same, though they carry a lot of baggage with council and residents which would not help their case.

Wakefield is a great little circuit, I hope it survives, but if it doesn't I have my memories.

:mrgreen:

yertimer · Postby **yertimer** » Thu Aug 11, 2022 10:37 am

Yes, I hope it survives too. We have lost too many tracks over the years, mostly due to spreading urbanisation. But noise and related issues have long been an issue for race tracks. Sandown has long been under threat too. and its closure appears to be imminent.
I remember reading somewhere that BAC was considering track options around the Canberra area if WP wasn't salvageable. Is that true? Do you know anything about those options?

greenMachine · Postby **greenMachine** » Thu Aug 11, 2022 3:03 pm

Yes there was some suggestion of that, but it was so vague and unsourced, no reference to any interest by the ACT Government in the possibility, that I discounted it as BS to pressure the council that they had options and therefore might walk. I have not seen or heard anything further since, there might be something going on but I don't know about it. It would suit me better than WP if it happened, so I would be all for it!!

Given that it is all steel sheds bolted to the ground, dismantling and reassembling it somewhere else would be a theoretical possibility, but with the labour involved how feasible it might be would be another matter. They would still be walking away from a lot of infrastructure - water and sewage, the track itself, earthworks, bitumen around the carports/garages etc. I presume the accommodation buildings are transportables, if so they can be readily moved/sold.

:mrgreen:

Nevyn72 · Postby **Nevyn72** » Mon Aug 15, 2022 2:14 am

At least council appear to going into bat for them....

https://www.speedcafe.com/2022/08/14/re ... ield-park/

greenMachine · Postby **greenMachine** » Mon Aug 15, 2022 10:12 am

Good spotto!!

That story also more or less confirms the circuit shutdown too.

The 'Special Activation Precinct' looks promising, but the devil is always in the detail. I also wonder whether the mayor has the numbers in council, since the implication is that the residents who are affected will be overruled, and they will certainly be protesting about such (or any) move to protect the circuit.

:mrgreen:

Li7hium · Postby **Li7hium** » Mon Aug 15, 2022 1:55 pm

Read that last link and followed through to this one:

https://www.speedcafe.com/2022/08/03/wa ... -decision/

Glad I'm at least getting to Marulan this weekend. I guess I'll never know if my BRZ will get around Wakefield faster than the NA. :frown:

Matt

greenMachine · Postby **greenMachine** » Fri Aug 19, 2022 9:26 pm

It is official: Wakefield Park shuts 1 September

Question now is 'what next, and when'?

:mrgreen:

StillIC · Postby **StillIC** » Sat Aug 20, 2022 8:13 pm

Purecaboos · Postby **Purecaboos** » Sun Aug 21, 2022 9:56 am

Li7hium wrote:Read that last link and followed through to this one:

https://www.speedcafe.com/2022/08/03/wa ... -decision/

Glad I'm at least getting to Marulan this weekend. I guess I'll never know if my BRZ will get around Wakefield faster than the NA.

Matt

Which BRZ were you yesterday? I was the flaggy on corner 4/7 :-D

Li7hium · Postby **Li7hium** » Sun Aug 21, 2022 2:09 pm

Purecaboos wrote:Which BRZ were you yesterday? I was the flaggy on corner 4/7 :-D

The not-quite-Laguna Blue! Steep learning curve yesterday, but was very happy with the amount of laps we got in and progress made.

Purecaboos · Postby **Purecaboos** » Sun Aug 21, 2022 6:09 pm

Li7hium wrote:
Purecaboos wrote:Which BRZ were you yesterday? I was the flaggy on corner 4/7 :-D

The not-quite-Laguna Blue! Steep learning curve yesterday, but was very happy with the amount of laps we got in and progress made.

Dammit, I didn't get you on video coming into turn 8. It was good to watch the two BRZ/86's come into turn eight compared to the MX5s. I was there to flag, not video, so I only got bits and pieces. Glad you had a great day though, looked like fun from where I was.

Li7hium · Postby **Li7hium** » Mon Aug 22, 2022 11:12 am

I spoke to a variety of people over the weekend with connections to Wakefield Park.

There seems to be real optimism that the track will be able to be re-opened next year.

It's all scuttlebutt and rumour, but maybe this Special Economic Zone issue has more traction with State Government than I had hoped. Although, I don't think a decision will be made about it before the next State election lest it rally more Green / Teals votes.