A Garson man is meeting with the city this week in an attempt to build a motocross track in Greater Sudbury.
Jim Savage says the landfill site in Garson would be a perfect place to build it.
"I just set (a meeting) up and they seem very excited about it," Savage said after speaking with someone at city hall. He didn't want to disclose who at the city he was meeting with.
"I believe it was four years ago they filled (the landfill) up so it's just sitting there vacant. What better place to put a motocross track and throw some earth and dirt down and put it to use. It's out in the middle of nowhere."
Savage said the track would only be for motor bikes but guarantees there's enough support in the city to get the project off the ground.
"It's going to be for the general public and to hold sanctioned races, we usually go through a circuit so once a month we'd hold a race there," he said.
Savage has two sons, 10 and 13, who race competitively in the Central Ontario CMRC (Canadian Motorsport Racing Club). The family has to travel to Massey, Providence Bay or Sault Ste. Marie to practice or race on a certified track.
"For insurance purposes we just can't let them go riding out in the pits, that's illegal so that's why we have to trailer out all the time to go practice and it's hard to gain a competitive edge when you have to go out of time all the time to practice," Savage said.
"My oldest started racing five years ago and he won the championship in his division last year so we're serious competitors."
Savage said there used to be tracks in Dowling and McKerrow but they closed down a couple of years ago due to licensing issues. He also said there's big potential to generate tourism revenue through a motocross track. Some dirt, fencing and bleachers would be all that was needed to build a track suitable for racing, he said.
"We're going to make it fly in Sudbury," Savage said. "There's a big comeback for motocross. It's big in the States, it's always on television and is taking off like crazy down there. Down south (Ontario) it's unbelievable the amount of tracks and races they have. Central Ontario has noting to offer, we have three tracks."
If anyone wants to lend support or ideas to the project, e-mail Savage at [email protected].
