TAREE Greyhound Club officials were expecting to hear within weeks whether the club’s application to become the Mid North Coast Centre of Excellence was successful.
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An application was lodged with Greyhounds NSW in April, as revealed in the Manning River Times in March 11. Taree, Wauchope and Kempsey were the three clubs vying for what would have been a $10 million upgrade to facilities. Taree Greyhound Club president Des McGeachie told the Times he believed the club was well placed to be successful with its bid. Taree would have also conducted 13 TAB meetings a year under the plan.
“This would be a great thing for the town and would bring more employment here,’’ he told the Times.
“It would appear that’s not going to happen now,’’ greyhound club secretary Peter Daniel said after news this week that greyhound racing will be banned in NSW from July 30, 2017.
The club has raced at its Kanangra Drive headquarters since 1978 and has built the complex from scratch.
Taree was formerly based at a dilapidated track near where Rotary Park is now at Taree Recreation Centre, sharing facilities with Taree Race Club. The race club (now Taree-Wingham Race Club) opened its track at Bushland Drive in 1974.
“It’s a good complex,’’ Mr Daniel said of Kanangra Drive.
“It does need a bit of work on it, but that would have come had we been successful with our application to Greyhounds NSW.’’
The club has a 99 year lease on the land.
Mr McGeachie said previously he believed the track was the best in the Lower North Coast area, with facilities superior to both Wauchope and Kempsey.
Mr Daniel fears that if the industry is shut down in this State next year it will be lost to Taree forever, even if eventually there is a backflip on the decision at State government level.
“If we stopped racing here for a couple of years we’d never be in a position to race again,’’ he said.
Taree Greyhound Club’s history dates back nearly 60 years.
Bromhead supports ban
MEMBER for Myall Lakes Stephen Bromhead sympathises with ‘the many good people’ involved with greyhound racing his electorate
However, he fully supports the State government ban of the sport that will come into place from June 30 2017.
Mr Bromhead has been to greyhound meetings.
“I have friends and relatives who are trainers,’’ he added.
However, he added the greyhound industry has been on notice for some time amid concerns at what he described as ‘systemic animal cruelty in the sport.’’
“The industry made changes but there remains an underbelly of animal cruelty within greyhound racing and that’s not acceptable,’’ he added.
“The industry made changes but they were too little and too late.’’
Mr Bromhead understands the Taree Greyhound Club has been part of the sporting scene in this area for nearly 60 years. He further understands that the ban ends the club’s hopes of a becoming the Mid North Coast Centre of Excellence that would have included a $10 million upgrade of facilities at the Kanangra Drive complex.
“There are many good people involved in greyhound racing,’’ he said.
Mr Bromhead said he would be happy to meet with club representatives to discuss the matter.
He fully expects the ban will go ahead despite opposition from Greyhounds NSW and other parties.
“I don’t think so,’’ he replied when asked if he thought the legislation would be watered down.
