So, have you heard about the race track? How did you miss it? Well, because there wasn’t any consultation.
Nevertheless, a race track is opening in North Cowichan in August. It will operate dawn to dusk 364 days a year. Being at the foot of Mount Prevost, it will reverberate across this valley and make a racket you will hear on the golf course, on the Trans Canada Trail and at your house if you live anywhere near the area of Tansor Road.
Surely there must be a compelling reason our council would approve such a facility — major benefits to the region and so on. No. Nothing offered in the way of incentives.
Well maybe local people voted in favour of it and it was a popular choice. Nope, no consultation, no research, no local participation and no local ownership. It’s the brainchild of a bunch of automobile dealers from Victoria.
I asked North Cowichan staff about research into noise levels, noise standards, what they were requiring in the way of noise abatement. Answer, nothing being done, nothing was done, and we don’t have to consult with you as we didn’t change the zoning. Not to mention all the hydrocarbons that will be spewing into the air.
They certainly didn’t consult with me or you or anybody locally. This is going to be a step in the wrong direction for this valley and for what? Who will benefit? Local hotel? No, they are partnering with the Aerie.
There’s nothing in this for people who live here and will have to endure the noise of a technical track designed specifically to challenge high performance car engines. It’s intended to bring people from Victoria and Alberta and other places that won’t let them put a racetrack in their backyard. They hope for hundreds of people and hundreds of cars.
I’m disappointed and disheartened that this is the kind of development endorsed by council.
Cindy Williams
North Cowichan