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Auckland ratepayers are “burdened” by the costs of speedway at Western Springs and fewer people go there than to their corner dairy, Mayor Wayne Brown says. 

In a video on social media this morning, Brown said: “It’s time to set the record straight. There’s a lot of fear-mongering nonsense going around social media now about council’s position on speedway at Western Springs.” 

It comes after councillors last October voted to spend $11 million upgrading Waikaraka Park in Onehunga and move speedway there. The council’s decision-making was messy, and left sporting body Speedway NZ feeling blindsided. 

Auckland ratepayers are 'burdened' by the costs of speedway at Western Springs and fewer people go to it than to their corner dairy, Mayor Wayne Brown says. Photo / Hayden Woodward 

Hundreds of protesters rallied ahead of the final race at the Grey Lynn venue on Saturday. Western Springs Speedway Association committee member Craig Steinbring said Western Springs was “the ... Mecca of motorsport”. 

Brown said this morning: “To be clear, I think speedway has a place and I want to see it flourish”. 

“The promoter told us that speedway at Western Springs just isn’t financially viable anymore. 

“And it puts a burden on the ratepayer of $1.2m a year for something that only 12,800 people went to last year. That’s less than go to a corner dairy,” Brown said. 

However, Save Our Speedway advocacy group head Jason Jones cast doubt on the mayor’s figures, claiming there would be more than 12,800 at some individual race meets. 

Jones said: “It’s not true at all. We filled that place up on Saturday night. The truth is, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited will not give our attendance numbers anyway because they class it as commercially sensitive. So what the mayor’s banging on about here is rubbish.” 

Brown said that Waikaraka Park was “a much better home for speedway”, saying it was more accessible by public transport, caused less noise concerns, and had better amenities. 

“That’s why [I] and a majority of councillors voted to spend $11m on redeveloping Waikaraka in time for the next season. 

“This will make speedway more commercially viable and give it a much brighter future,” he said. 

Jones believed council’s $11m was not to improve speedway: “They’ve given one club money to run another one. That’s not consolidation.” 

Earlier this week, the Herald revealed Auckland Council was considering three rival bids to develop stadium facilities at Western Springs, with the Kiwi billionaire backer of Auckland FC putting in a proposal against a music promoter and Ponsonby Rugby Club. 

A group of high-profile New Zealanders – including businesswoman Anna Mowbray and her husband, former All Blacks lock Ali Williams, along with NBA star Steven Adams – was behind the proposal to build a new 12,500-seat sports stadium at the venue. 

Protesters rally against the closure of Western Springs Speedway. Photo / Supplied 

The facility would include community sports facilities, a hospitality concourse and live entertainment facilities. 

CRS Records, a music promoter and event producer, has proposed to privately fund turning the venue into a place for live entertainment and festivals. The revamped site would be able to host cultural events, community sports and other activities, with a maximum capacity of 45,000. 

Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news and local stories in Tāmaki Makaurau. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.