Greyhound racing at park in jeopardy

Press, 2 September 1977, Page 4

Greyhound racing at park in jeopardy

By

BOB SCHUMACHER

The future of greyhound racing at Queen Elizabeth II Park is in jeopardy. The president of the Christchurch Greyhound Racing Club ((Mr G. Louden) said yesterday it appeared that the “club’s arm had been twisted” by the Christchurch City Council decision not to alter the greyhound track for fear of endangering the international standing of the athletics track.

“It appears we have no alternative but to consider urgently the possibility of obtaining another site or to establish a track on club land. Then consideration should be given to moving to a new venue where the administrators are more aware of the financial rewards available from greyhound racing.”

Mr Louden said he believed the issues were clearly defined. “If the council is prepared to continue receiving a meagre income from the hire of the stadium, then the status quo should remain.

“If it wishes to make Q.E. II Park relatively selfsupporting. it must allow and assist the club with its proposed track alterations.

“Naturally I’m disappointed that the council has not approved our proposals to alter the greyhound track at the park, and I am dismayed at a. council suggestion that the track should be narrowed. “A minimum width of 6m is required by the New Zealand Greyhound Racing Association and the track in its present form only barely conforms.” Spectators in some areas of the stand had limited viewing of race finishes,

and the council agreed that this problem exists — yet it wanted to compound the problem by narrowing the track, Mr Louden said.

Planned alterations for the greyhound track would still allow a full eight-lane athletics track. "The only difference would be that the present run-off area of 20m at the end of the 100 m sprint would be reduced about 3m.

"I cannot accept the fact that the safety of athletes would be affected, and would not request an alteration if such were the case. With the proposed alterations, athletes would be able to run off on to 3m of grass after 17m of Cfcevron without obstructidm.” he said. World - class athletes regnlarly competed at indoor meetings without the need for a long run-off. “If it is said that athletes cannot run round a curve at Q.E. II Park with safety, then it is hardly fair to expect greyhounds to negotiate a now restrictive bend. After all, it is presumed that there is a different degree of intelligence between the two.”

The Christchurch club had spent more than $50,000 in establishing a track and facilities at the park. "The impost of SJM a year on Christchurch rate-payers to maintain the complex can be relieved only by greyhound racing,” he said.

Mr Louden said he had studied the figures from the three trotting clubs that raced at Addington last year. Gate receipts amounted to $147,000, the

on-course turnover was $9.4M and the off-course total was SI37M. The combined gate and totalisator receipts amounted to SI.SM for the clubs.

“While I am not suggesting that these figures will relate immediately to greyhound racing, they indicate the revenue that would eventually be available provided that greyhounds can offer the public racing free of enforced interference.”

Mr Louden added that there was a growing awareness of gres hound racing.

A recent survey by university marketing students indicated a market for the sport in Christchurch and that dog racing could be made competitive with other entertainments. Of the survey respondents, 87 per cent were aware of the sport’s existence, 23 per cent were interested in it. Thirty-six per cent said they intended to attend a greyhound meeting. “A common misconception I would like to dispel is that Q.E. II has put greyhound racing on its feet — in fact the boot is on the other foot, and

greyhound racing is the sole activity that can assist to any discernible degree in reducing the cost of

maintaining the stadium Mr Louden said

If the council agreed to the club’s proposed alterations, he could assure the athletics administrators that for all international meetings at the park, the club could remove any equipment which might be considered obstructive, provided reasonable notice were given.