Harness Racing Comes Home to Regina
West Meadows Raceway is almost finished being built and will be part of the race circuit this year
Harness racing has been without a home in Regina for over six years. But that's no longer the case as West Meadows Raceway (WMR) is preparing for their first year on the Saskatchewan racing circuit.
Glenn Le Drew, the raceway's director, says that WMR is a humble track with a modest budget. And although the track has been in the works since 2006, construction didn't actually begin until spring of last year. Le Drew attributes the speed at which the facility has come together to those who had the focus and desire to bring harness racing back to the Queen City. He says "it was built by people who wanted to see it succeed." Even the land that the track is built on was leased to them for 20 years by a fan of the sport.
The track, which is located two miles west of the city, is the first in the province that's open 365 days a year to harness racing enthusists. The first group of standardbred horses have already been moved into the barn. In the spring WMR will see the construction of their clubhouse and bleachers. This facility is outdoors, and allows spectators to enjoy the sunny Saskatchewan weather, as well as to get an up close and personal view of the races.
Le Drew says that WMR will be small scale to start off with, but is optomistic about the growth potential of the track and its reputation. "It will open the door for people to come to Regina from places within the province, and outside the province."
Le Drew mentions that when racing ceased at Queensbury Downs, many members of the community left the city in order to find places where they could continue to race. And while he doesn't claim that those people will move back to the area, he does say that WMR could be an attractive asset for out of province residents who are considering moving to Saskatchewan for work. The fact that Regina now has a year round training facility may draw some people from Ontario--which is a hotbed of Canadian horse racing.
Le Drew is confident that WMR will increase the number of horses ready for opening day at Yorkton in May. WMR has applied for six racing days this year, and is waiting to hear back from government officials on how many of these days will be approved. Of course, any confirmed dates will extend the racing season. As it is, there is racing in Yorkton from May until September, and in Saskatoon from September into October. Because of this, Le Drew hopes that WMR's days will be in mid to late September, so that there is a consistancy in the scheduling of race days throughout the season.
For more information about the West Meadows Raceway, please visit their website at http://www.westmeadowsraceway.com.
Comments
Dear Sarah Mills
Greetings, Sarah Mills!
Thank you for your report.
In the future, could you please use SI (metric) measurements in your reports? This is Canada and those who entered the education system after 1975 have no idea what "two miles" is. Besides, other Canadian journalists use SI as standard because very few can understand foreign measurements such as 'inches', 'feet', 'miles', etc. How many kilometres is two miles, Sarah Mills?
Keep up the good work. I appreciate that you keep us up-to-date on Regina news.
Best Wishes,
CJME fan in Toronto
Sure we're metric. Just
Sure we're metric. Just like we're all bilingual.
Most people born after 1995, let alone 1975, don't think in metric. Neither does your drivers license. Or the carpet store. Or the lumberyard. Or the clothes you buy. (what size is your inseam?) And the racetrack in the story is most certainly not measured in metres.
Inches, feet and miles are not foreign measurements. They're imperial, which is what we mostly remain, despite Pierre Trudeau's attempt to force the foreign metric system upon a country that didn't want it.
I totally agree. I have no
I totally agree. I have no idea what miles are. I can't stand it when people just keep using SI thinking we all know what it is. Please embrace one more thing that makes us unique to our southern neighbours.
Having said that... I still need to lose 10 lbs. :)
2 miles is 3.2 kilmoetres.
2 miles is 3.2 kilmoetres.
Glad to see this reported
Glad to see this reported and given such great coverage!! We NEED racing back in the southern portion of the province. Harness racing has a rich history in this province, and it wasn't that very long ago, in the whole scope of our history, that there were tracks in most towns, no matter how small and weekend fair meets in those towns every weekend. I am old enough to remember racing in assorted places besides Regina and Saskatoon: there were meets at Weyburn, Estevan, Yorkton, Moose Jaw and Saskatoon as well as at smaller centres, and all but Yorkton and Saskatoon are gone now; this addition will be great for the south.
When Queensbury closed, that was the end of over a century of harness racing in Regina; hopefully, this is going to be the beginning of a whole new era of racing for us. It still saddens me to think of Queensbury, as I raced there when it was still known as Eshibition Park - and,yes, even when the old grandstand was 'topless', courtesy of a tornado. Both versions of the Regina track are filled with memories, and not just for me, but everyone in the industry, particularly us 'old timers'. This should be a great place to make new memories!
To our friend from Toronto - Saskatchewan roads are in a grid of 1 mile by 2 miles, not in kilometers. The calulation is pretty easy, just take the miles and multiply by .62 and there you have it. Also. don't look for a street address for this place, there are no streets and very few named roads in rural Saskatchewan; population is sparse. However, I do not think our locals are going to be put off by being told the new track is 2 miles west of the city - here, even our young people understand the Imperial system and we still race 1 nile races or races measured by furlong. I have not seen a change in distance from mile to meters at WEG, or any other Ontario track unless I have forgotten how to read charted lines, condition sheets, and entries.
If anyone has travelled to
If anyone has travelled to the US things are still in imperial, time to be able to converse in both metric and imperial.
I also remember the old grandstand and the horses boarded there, I think that the Exhibition Board let alot of people down by discontinuing the racing in Regina and look forward to see the new racing underway.