Get ready to rumble! A new racetrack is coming to Port Alberni.
After years of looking for a permanent location, the Alberni Valley Drag Racing Association (AVDRA) may have finally found their dream home.
They’ve had a tough go of it trying to find the perfect spot to race.
They used to use the Alberni Valley Regional Airport for their yearly Thunder in the Valley event. But they got kicked out in 2015 due to the airport’s expansion.
They moved the event to Stamp Avenue for a bit, but they still couldn’t use the area more than once a year.
As it turns out, connecting communities is once again the key to success.
AVDRA was first helped out on their journey to a new home by the Tseshaht First Nation. They helped them get in touch with Mosaic about potentially leasing the Link Mill site on Franklin River Road as a new drag racing track.
Mosaic then suggested the best way to make a permanent track was to build a bigger fan base.
They reached out to three other VanIsle drag racing associations (the North Island Timing Association, the South Island Straight Liners Racing Association, and the Vancouver Island Motorsports Association) to make it happen.
Since these connections were made, it’s been a race to the finish line.
The Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District board agreed to provide a letter of support for AVDRA’s proposal to Mosaic Forest Management to lease Link Mill.
Apparently, the letter was a success.
AVDRA says they just got “the go ahead” to submit a formal proposal for the site.
“It makes me very happy to actually see this coming forward,” said ACRD director Penny Cote at the October 13th meeting. “The airport really wasn’t a good location for that. I am so thrilled that they’ve found a place.”
The Link Mill site is ideal because it already has access to water and power.
Not only can it be used as an awesome race track, but it’s also the perfect venue for markets, music festivals, and other events that can help bring even more of the community together.
The proposal hasn’t been approved just yet, but it seems like they’ve almost reached those checkered flags.
