B*astards - Lakeside Sold

[DNQ]

It is with great sadness that I report that Lakeside will NEVER be used for motor sport ever again, after if was announced this morning that the track has been purchased by the Pine Rivers Shire council.

It may be used for driver training and the like in the future, but it's days as a race track are over, enviromental problems the cause. Apparently oil may seep into the lake.

This is very bad news obviously, Lakeside is a fantastic circuit, I for one will be sad to see it gone.

I would like to hear your opinions on this topic.

[jetsetter]

Having spent most of my childhood at both Surfers & Lakeside i am quite upset at the closure of Lakeside as i was with Surfers closure in the late 80's. I certainly hope they don't just let it sit there & become an eyesore like has happened down at Surfers, i suppose another victory for the enviromentalist.

[racer69]

Why is the oil seepage problem only coming up now, and what happened to the consortium bid that included Peter Brock?

what a shame, from two wonderful Queensland permanent circuits (lakeside and Surfers Paradise) we know have a silly little paperclip at Willowbank and a once a year track on the Gold Coast. Won't be much variety in the state and club races in QLD now.

Maybe someone should tip in some big bucks to get Darlington Park going.

[DAVID PATERSON]

Some big bucks have already been poured into Darlington Park, over 50 million in fact. Money isn't the problem. The problem is the owner doesn't seem to know or care about getting a CAMS track licence.

I had my doubt about the Brock story from the start. In fact, I have my doubts about anything with Brock's name on it.

Amazingly, the Council spent just $600 000 buying Lakeside. I can't believe that was the highest offer.

Oddly, Sakzewski took Lakeside to market a coupl of years and hoped to sell it for 2-3 million. They recieved three offers. The best was $800 000. They probably wish they took it now.

I refuse to surrender this to the council. Just because they said it's over doesn't mean anything. Less than 10 years ago, John Howard said the GST was dead and buried and would never appear under a Coalition government.

The Council are elected officials, it's not up to them to decide what's best for the community. It's up to the community to tell them what we want. Now is the time for the serious lobbying to begin. Lakeside is easily the number 1 tourist attraction in the shire. All Pine shire resdients who are motor racing enthusisats need to form a coalition with the business owners in Kallangur. The loss of Lakeside will have a negative impact on the bakers, the butchers, the grocery stores, the hotel and motels and service stations among others.

United, we are a voting bloc far to big to ignore.

We just have to get off our arses and get organised. I am concerned though that racer's are just used to lying down and taking it up the arse, that's about all we ever get from CAMS. My dealings with the Kallangur samll business association has also convinced that they couldn't find their arse with both hands.

[Airhead]

Bloody Queenslanders!

[Fulton]

Dissapointing, very dissapointing. It was a truly great circuit unlike the crappy Willowbank paperclip.

[DNQ]

Anyone in for a petition?

[jetsetter]

A petition would probably be the way to go that way Yvonne Chapman can see what people really think.

[DNQ]

Originally posted by jetsetter
A petition would probably be the way to go that way Yvonne Chapman can see what people really think.

Yes, but at the moment, she thinks that ost people are against the track, which is probably true. For us, this is a tragedy, but for people near the track, it is a god-send.

[D.R.T.]

Trying would do no harm though. As a New South Welshman, I never got the privilidge to venture to Lakeside, but I had a great amount of respect for the trck, just from the television. A sad, sad day. 2001 hasn't been the best year for motorsport.

[Crash Test]

Although at this stage it is very very grim, we shouldn't give up hope just yet. There are petitions circulating already, and once many of the interested clubs and associations get together and pool our talent, brains and money into it, there might be some way to get a more favourable outcome. Heck, using the track for driving training is still going to fill the lake with oil....for ferks sake.

I'll give you the latest as it comes to hand, but at this stage they want to turn it into a botanical gardens...

If the worst case scenario happens, I would like to build a Lakeside tribute site- stories, photos etc.

[FalconEL]

David,

I don't believe $600,000 was the highest offer. From all resports there were close to ten parties who submitted genuine expressions of interest with regard to buying the place. No matter which group purchased the place, they would have needed the Pine Rivers Shire Council to be 100% onside (For those who do not know, the PRSC actually owns certain parts of the racetrack and much of the land surrounding). This council support was clearly was never going to be forthcoming and I believe that in the end, the administrators would have seen that this was the case and that the PRSC council offer was the "only" offer that could be accepted. No-one in their right mind would buy the place without having the council onside because the council holds such a stake in the place.

To me, it is an absoulte disgrace that the pathetic LIR management could let this happen after a period of 40 years of operation. How could they have continued to be the money-grabbing leaches that they were and not have cultivated a positive relationship with the PRSC and the community in this period? All it would have taken would have been to develop the venue into a more community-friendly/acceptable one by establishing it as a multi-sports type venue to show they had the community interests at heart. Sure they tried to do this after the demise of the David Harding regime, but unfortunately it was a case of too-little, too-late. Even if they didn't give a stuff about the community, they could have at least shown they did.

If the PRSC took the blinkers off the a second, they would see that they have a valuable community asset out at Lakeside. The circuit itself is the ultimate driver training venue. As for the Roadcraft driver training operation behind the Bridge, to me that is a complete waste of time. Tearing front tyres off the rims of front-wheel drive s#$tbox Hyundais isn't my idea of driver training but I won't go into my ideas of driver training and the abysmal licencing system of this country in this thread. If more people got out on the racetracks of Australia and fine tuned their skills in the controlled environment that as competitors we all are privileged to, then Australia would be a safer place to drive in. We all know LIR is one of the best driver training/race circuits in the country - a place where many of us cut our teeth. I know I am a much better driver/person (confidence wise) for having thrown cars at the scenery at LIR and brought them back in one piece (well most times anyway!!).

At this stage, despite the press release referenced by DNQ regarding the "no motor racing policy", it appears all may not be lost. We at least have made contact with the council and both the QRDA and HRCC have submitted letters outlining some ideas and we hope to arrange a meeting with them in the coming weeks to outline both develop a positive relaionship with the council and show that we aren't just grease-monkeys with death-wishes who enjoy sniffing rubber and petrol fumes (This is no doubt the attitude that is still portrayed in many circles of the community as I still cop questions about this sort of s#$t at dull-a@#e family BBQ's). We realise there are environmental, economic and community based issues that need to be addressed. I believe with a little compromise from all parties, we could see motor racing out at LIR again in the future.

A quick survey shows us that there are approximately 400 CAMS Licence Holders that reside in the PRSC, not including the families of the same. That is a large number of votes at the next council elections, it might pay some councillors to realise this. We just have to do our best to convince them that LIR is a valuable asset to the Shire.

CD.

[DNQ]

Originally posted by Crash Test
If the worst case scenario happens, I would like to build a Lakeside tribute site- stories, photos etc.

Good idea, Mark, I have been thinking of something like this - Lakeside is a GREAT track, at the very least it deserves to exist on the net. I sincerly hope that we can get the council to change their mind. Like you say, using the circuit for driver training will still pollute the lake, so why can't we having racing?

I have already drafted letters to both the PRSC and Pine Rivers Press. While it may not make much difference, if we all pool our rescources together, we may one day see racing at the track again.

I must say though, even the worst outcome is favourable to the fate that befell Amaroo Park.

[Ray Bell]

Yvonne Chapman is a very political animal with a very callous nature. She is to be dealt with very carefully.

I'm in for any petitions, representations, preparation of proposals, whatever might come up. Just give me a call if you think I can help.

For years the council has promoted Lakeside because it is one of just two promotable tourist attractions in the Shire (Alma Park Zoo being the other). It's on all their brochures, and in the area it's in there is no further building development allowed.

I have previously been told that the hydrocarbon count in the lake has been going up, and that there are sections of the land that belong to the Council, one of them being a simple tit-for-tat swap brought about by the raising of the level in the lake in 1965 that was simply never finished or the paperwork completed. The rest, I feel sure, will be in the form of an easement.

You can bet that if the HRCC are involved in attempts to get some sense seen by the Council there will be success of some kind.

Shame about Darlington Park... and a shame the Sakzewskis let Lakeside get into this parlous state... old Sid would be rolling in his grave.

[Valve Bounce]

Originally posted by Crash Test


I'll give you the latest as it comes to hand, but at this stage they want to turn it into a botanical gardens...

If the worst case scenario happens, I would like to build a Lakeside tribute site- stories, photos etc.

A botanical gardens is a fantastic idea - there is enough space in the middle, and some of the surrounding areas for all that, plus keep the track for racing. We can even have ducks in the lake.
I was at hte inaugural meeting there, saw the Geoghan brothers racing hte first mini (black) there,
saw the geoghan brothers put on a spectacle with the lotus Elite and the Dainler Dart, (staged of course),
and poor David Jeremiah rolling his holden at teh end of the straight. The story went that the rolled car was bought and kept there in place for several meetings for effect,
and it was here that I met John Surtees that year when his car broke down, it rained cats and dogs, and John hopped the fence and took cover in our tent. We chatted for nearly an hour.
I had worked out a great way to get there through back roads to avoid all the traffic going and returning home. I think we had to go through a small stream crossing at Cash's crossing.
Gee!! That was a helluva long time ago.

[Ray Bell]

That wet International meeting was 1963, was it not, when Graham Hill won in the Ferguson 4WD... last significant road race ever won by a front engined car?

Lakeside sure built a history those days. The days when the Governor of Queensland would turn out to present the trophy to the winner of the Gold Star race (the 'Governor's Trophy' race, it was called...) and would bring yet another Daimler out to the circuit.

Yep, old Sid is rolling in his grave.

[Ray Bell]

Now I hear that there's to be a "Goodbye Lakeside" race meeting (with the Council's blessing, obviously) next January.

Details are sketchy, but apparently the HRCC of Qld are involved.

Sounds a bit like a clash with the Historic meeting at Oran Park, however...

Let's make it the thin edge of the wedge... before it happens!

Who's going to get on Yvonne Chapman's case?

[Crash Test]

A lot of club's and associations have their monthly meetings in the next week or two- I'm certain that everyone will be on their case, without a doubt... We have an awful lot of people on our side, influential people who have money. I'm sure that a satisfactory outcome would be that the Council owns the circuit, and a group of clubs, or even say, the HRCC runs and promotes meetings at the circuit.

Saying that, all indications are that there wont be any more racing on the old girl. People were saying that there might be a good bye meeting on the weekend, but I'd say that they are being fairly optimistic....at the best. There are also issues of insurance etc, things that the council wont want a bar of.

I've done some research, and the council are very seriously against the place. I'm off to a meeting this evening, I'll let you all know of the latest after that.

[Ray Bell]

Just remember you were warned... don't ever trust Yvonne Chapman.

[Crash Test]

Ok

But we put some wheels in motion tonight.... now for the hard slog (who was the silly ******* that gave me the job of surveying local businesses?? )

[FalconEL]

Who was the silly ******** who said they had too much time on their hands hehe?

[Crash Test]

Hrmmm....that'll teach me, or will it?

Anyways, I suppose I could do with the exercise

[Ray Bell]

Which direction are the wheels turning?

[spook]

So where has all the enthusiasm to save Lakeside gone. Typical QLD motor racing apathy, created from thirty odd years of being controlled by those who caused the demise of Surfers and now Lakeside, the circuit owners who treated our sport as a cash cow for their personal fortunes.

So where is all the funds taken for recent "memberships" to Lakeside and supposedly held in "trust accounts". A public meeting for those who were ripped off will be held on 15th December - who will care to attend?.

To all those who think that Qld Raceway is too boring - we await your donations of a few million dollars to build another circuit more suited to your liking - know any council in South-East Queensland that will even support such an idea - well there is none!. If you don't like any of the four circuit options at Qld Raceway - I'd suggest you may as well sell your toys, or garage it in Sydney, cause we will probably never see another circuit built in QLD for at least another 10 years - maybe longer.

And what does CAMS think of having only one circuit in QLD - they were happy to let Surfers close to leave only Lakeside. But there has been no comment since the Lakeside closure news. Surely the governing body of our sport must have an opinion when one of only two venues for the sport closes in the state. Why the silence?

[Crash Test]

Welcome aboard Spook!

Re: the memebership cards- the QRDA made sure that it had it in writing that we would get the money back if it all fell over etc, and that is now in the hands of solicitors who are experienced in dealing with the Sakzewskis... out of personal interest, where is the meeting going to be held?

Re: Circuits- Morgan Park has been given the green light for improvements, and should be all go for State Championship meetings in 2003 with a 2.2km track. I reckon MP has the best atmosphere of any permanent track I've ever been to. They have a very supportive council behind them, as well as local businesses etc. Heck, $40 entry fees and racing until the wee small hours of the morning isn't too shabby!

Its funny though, that despite the implosion of Lakeside, grids at the last few QR meetings have been quite strong. Saying that, next season a fair few Formula Fords, Saloon Cars, and even Improved Production cars will be hitting the national/southern circus, but that's life I guess.

Re: CAMS on Lakeside- Best not spoken about... CAMS attitude, is quote "not our problem"...cheers boys!