Speedway pits to be ready for teams’ champs
The new speedway pits at the Arena will be ready just in time for the venue’s biggest event of the year, the Superstock Teams’ Champs.
The new pits along Cuba St should be in use for the popular annual event on February 6 and 7, which is sold out with more than 15,000 people expected to attend.
Even though work is still being done on the site, speedway promoter Bruce Robertson said the pits would be completed close to race day.
The redevelopment of the pits is part of a $17 million upgrade of the Arena, including a new entrance plaza, pedestrian bridge and ablutions block.
‘‘We’re going to be able to get everything in place. [The council] have assured us they will have enough done for us to be able to operate.
‘‘I’m disappointed the toilet block is not finished, but there will be a number of portaloos in its place. It’s one of those things we’re going to have to deal with.’’
The toilets in the grandstand and Barber Hall can also be used.
A referee and race control box will be put in a couple of days before the event.
The area under the new bridge won’t be completed, but organisers would work around that, Robertson said.
A council spokeswoman said the site would be functional for the teams’ champs.
‘‘The pits will be fully functional but the ablutions block and new entrance plaza (gate two) won’t quite be completed.
‘‘These areas are still running to schedule and are set to be completed in late March.’’
The spokeswoman said there would be full access to the embankment, but the public would not be able to access this area via the new bridge.
Entrances are on waldegrave St, Pascal St and on Cuba St opposite Cook St.
Robertson said Arena staff were doing their best to make the venue as user-friendly as possible.
‘‘There will be hiccups no doubt, but we’ll work around it and do our best to make it the exciting venue it needs to be.’’
Due to the construction of the new pits, this season speedway has been using pits on the Waldegrave St-side of the venue. It’s likely those pits will be needed for the second night of teams’ champs.
Robertson said people would likely have to park on the railway land reserve because parking at the Arena would be full.
Meanwhile, the moving of phoenix palms tree at the Arena, from Cuba St to the new entrance at the corner of Cuba and Waldegrave streets, has been labelled a success.
The trees were suffering transplant shock with some trees’ fronds turning brown, but new foliage growth could now be seen, the council spokeswoman said.
‘‘This has been helped with the aftercare our team is providing with watering and feeding the trees.’’
One tree on the corner is being monitored closely because it is not looking well, possibly because it is exposed to the wind.
‘‘Our contractors are set to determine the fate of this tree by the end of January. If it is indeed dead, it will be removed.