Waimate 50 grappling with growing costs

The future of a Waimate motorsport event that attracts thousands of people to the region is under scrutiny as health and safety costs continue to climb.

Half the budget of the annual McKeown Petroleum Waimate 50 Motorsport Festival is spent meeting health and safety requirements.

Waimate 50 chairman Robert Aikman said the event has a $200,000 budget. ‘‘Half or more’’ went towards ‘‘red tape’’, which included security, crowd management and safety infrastructure.

Near-Formula One grade safety guards were required to protect the spectators, street racers and property during the different races, he said.

‘‘Every year is special, it may not be here next year,’’ Aikman said.

‘‘We always worry about the future ... it’s hard to keep going.’’

The first Waimate 50 street race was in 1959. After a hiatus, the event was reinvigorated in 2010.

The health and and safety costs ‘‘weren’t half the budget’’ at that stage, but they had crept up over the past six years, he said.

Aikman hoped to return the Waimate 50 to its street racing roots, but said there were a lot of challenges in the way.

‘‘There’s no other street racing in New Zealand,’’ he said.

The Waimate 50 would be split over two weekends to help about 13 committee members organise and work on the logistics of each weekend, Aikman said.

The previous one weekend event was not sustainable ‘‘resources were too stretched’’.

‘‘We get through one and then start working on next year’s,’’ he said.

‘‘We are a small but determined team who strive hard to bring this event for the good of Waimate and the region year after year.’’

Aikman said the event was fortunate to have a large number of supporters who all helped and contributed to make the ‘‘very special event happen’’, which was no easy feat. as

Concern over costs has not been limited to the Waimate event. The Wyndham Street Races was ditched from the Burt Muro Challenge weekend in Southland after a difficult 2014.

At the time, the communityled organising committee said the costs were too high. Another, replacement race event has since been established in Invercargill.

The Waimate 50 will be held between October 15 to 23, with the some events held on October 14 including the Kirk Irrigation Mini 50 Challenge.