A dirt track will take remote-control car racing to a new level in Sooke.
The Vancouver Island RC Racers have found a location for the racetrack on 10,000 square feet of farmland off West Coast Road. It will be the only RC dirt track south of Nanaimo.
Daniel Pudwell, Vancouver Island RC Racers organizer, said he plans to offer the best RC racing experience available on the Island once the private property course is complete.
The track, modelled after designs in Kamloops and Kelowna, will be similar to those used for BMX, he said, only scaled-down with jumps suitable for the RC cars’ small size.
“RC is a very popular hobby that’s great for all ages. It teaches many skills like mechanics and concentration, physics, competition, and most importantly, gets people outdoors,” Pudwell said in a recent letter to district council.
“It is a very family-oriented, safe activity and is the most inexpensive form of motorsports. You can do it inexpensively, or you can go all out.”
Pudwell originally proposed a track at 6736 West Coast Rd., the former Eagle Eye Outfitters store site, but was told by Sooke council that the property is not zoned for outdoor amusement.
“It’s not going to be near as accessible to the community as I proposed (originally), so I’m just a little sour with the district at the moment,” Pudwell said, adding he considered the district’s zoning requirements to be a stonewall.
Mayor Maja Tait said that Pudwell had never approached council about rezoning the West Coast Road property. Still, they are nonetheless enthusiastic about the prospect of an RC track in Sooke and would like to help with the process.
“Finding places where folks can gather safely and enjoy a recreational hobby and have events is great,” Tait said. “It’s fun to race the cars. Right now we’re racing them up and down the street.”
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