J-D Posted October 22, 2005 Report Share Posted October 22, 2005 Just came across the Canterbury Crusaders Website and unlike most defunct tracks see that it looks like the Stadium was knocked down and not built on. What were the main reasons behind speedway closing there, and any chance that someone may build a new speedway stadium there? who owns the land? Looking from overhead photo like there is not lots of housing about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deano Posted October 22, 2005 Report Share Posted October 22, 2005 (edited) I think Canterbury have the same council as Birmingham, they don't like Speedway. They did though closed under different circumstances, Birmingham's through lack of support, but I believe the council ordered Canterbury to closed at the end of the 86 or 87 season. Nothing has materialised in Canterbury since, just like Birmingham. I think Leicester's council has the same attitude, unfortunately too they are three potential future hot beds for speedway. Edited October 22, 2005 by Deano Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted October 22, 2005 Report Share Posted October 22, 2005 Thought the whole story was explained on here on one of the many Canterbury threads If it has been deleted i'm sure one or two of our members will explain again,eh Kev,Shazz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted October 22, 2005 Report Share Posted October 22, 2005 I think Canterbury closed because they forgot to apply for a license or something totally ridiculous like that. I went to the site of the old stadium a while back, just to see where it was, and was amazed there was still wasteland there and you could still make out the shape of the track (it was actually me who took the photos on the website, showing how the stadium looked at that time). I spent quite a while there justwandering about imagining speedway going on in the area. It was a really wierd experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbbunyan Posted October 22, 2005 Report Share Posted October 22, 2005 Permission to run was only available on a yearly basis and after many complaints, from people in house's built after the track opened, the council refused to renew the lease. Various other reasons appear to have ended any other use of the stadium!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grassergirl Posted October 23, 2005 Report Share Posted October 23, 2005 Work has recently started on the redevelopment of the whole Kingsmead site - nursery, entertainment and housing. Has been in the pipeline for a number of years now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 I can't believe this thread has been going for two days now and Shazzy is nowhere in sight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shazzybird Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 (edited) I'm here Norby just got back from the Archives to answer the question what happend to Canterbury, got so lost in reading the thread on there was really starting to enjoy myself and thinking how fun the forum used to be with all the friendly bantering between the Crusaders fans oh and the few riders that appeared on there, Barney, Gibbo, Mark, Honey and our Team Manager Dick Searle anyway I found a reply from Dick Searle regarding the closure of Canterbury. From a Posting by Dick Searle. It's not true to sat that planning permission was refused - it wasn't even applied for. At the end of the '87 season, Chris Galvin (the promoter at that time) admitted to me that he never "got round" to applying for it!!!! Chris was passionate about speedway but he was no businessman. When he took over from Mawdsley he hadn't a clue how to run a speedway promotion. Quite a few of us helped out (including Maurice Morley) but it was always a bit of a mess. He lost a ton of money and I don't believe he could afford to run another season. 1987 was a difficult year with the change in track once the dogs started and the attendance plunged. I think he was too proud to tell anyone the trouble he was in and too disorganised to pursue the planning permission. There were enough of us around who would have helped but he simply never asked. I'm sure the strain of it all was one of the factors in his tragic early death. Edited October 24, 2005 by shazzybird Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevH Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 That may have been the final straw Shazz, but as I remember the rot set in a few years previous to that. We won't go into that though, because we got in enough trouble last time didn't we? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shazzybird Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 yes Kev hence the quote and not a lot more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevH Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 yes Kev hence the quote and not a lot more <{POST_SNAPBACK}> What a wise old bird you are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shazzybird Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 Hey Norbold Kev and I have replied now, we waited til no-one else was around Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevH Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 Hey Norbold Kev and I have replied now, we waited til no-one else was around <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Or couldn't get a word in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shazzybird Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 Our turn now Kev, they're all asleep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deano Posted October 25, 2005 Report Share Posted October 25, 2005 (edited) Is there not a plot of land around Canterbury that could be utilised as a track, is anyone looking still? There must still be a glut of support around Canterbury. Edited October 25, 2005 by Deano Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shazzybird Posted October 25, 2005 Report Share Posted October 25, 2005 Canterbury is becoming quite a built up area and any land that was vacant has it seems been taken up as a park/ride. There are people out there still looking trust me, it just seems to be that areas that are looked at are ear marked for development, Sittingbourne Dog track would be ideal but that went down the pan as well we all know. Ashford is quite a catchment area there are a lot of speedway/grasstgrack fans in that area probably more so that Canterbury, again sites that would be ideal are earmarked. Over that way at the moment there is talk of a load of houses being built to cope with the demand for houses in that area. So the search continues....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
25yearfan Posted October 25, 2005 Report Share Posted October 25, 2005 Would of been interesting to see how long Canterbury speedway would have lasted if they had managed to open up for the 1988 season. How many more seasons could they of got through? - Shame casuse the stadium was still there until the late 1990's I believe and is just now a piece of waistland Sittingbourne dog track would of been ideal but Terry Rusells half hearted planning application ruined chances there. - Maybe if it could be done better and researched more thoroughly (Tony Mole style) then I feel this is Kents best hope of a bona fide League set up. No disrespect to the merry bunch down at Iwade Messrs Ribbons and Arnold but I don't think the current Kentish CL venue will ever get fully established as a League set up cause of the poor facilities and training track reputation. Though Iwade does a marvellous job as a training facility and non league/amateur venue and may it long continue to do so! I did hear recently that Canterbury Council are still looking for a suitable site where they could put a multi sports stadium possibly speedway included if persons were interested in running the speedway? Can you indulge us anymore 'Shazzytbird'? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevH Posted October 25, 2005 Report Share Posted October 25, 2005 I did hear recently that Canterbury Council are still looking for a suitable site where they could put a multi sports stadium possibly speedway included if persons were interested in running the speedway? Can we assume that the proposed stadium would be council run, and they would rent the facilities to a prospective speedway promoter then 25yearfan? There are many areas outside of the City centre where a stadium of this ilk could be built if the council were serious about this project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deano Posted October 26, 2005 Report Share Posted October 26, 2005 (edited) I hope people are still looking and badgering the council. We have our very own "sir" Brian Buck who has been an ambassador and not letting up with letters of support for speedway to Birmingham council. OK nothing has happened yet, but you never know. Canterbury should do the same, unless you do the council will forget it is wanted. It takes time but hopefully will work. Canterbury is missed. Edited October 26, 2005 by Deano Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shazzybird Posted October 26, 2005 Report Share Posted October 26, 2005 Would of been interesting to see how long Canterbury speedway would have No disrespect to the merry bunch down at Iwade Messrs Ribbons and Arnold but I don't think the current Kentish CL venue will ever get fully established as a League set up cause of the poor facilities and training track reputation. Though Iwade does a marvellous job as a training facility and non league/amateur venue and may it long continue to do so! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I think when I first went over there at the beginning of the season I was expecting Canterbury re-visited everyone pulling together to get the place on the map. Sorry but it didn't work for me, I was soon back to our old rivals at Eastbourne. Don't get me wrong what they are doing is fantastic, the riders give 100% as does Graham Arnold but CL at Iwade is not for me. Am expecting a lot of flack here over my above comments but that is just my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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