Speedway will race at Western Springs for the last time this summer season. Photo: Photosport
After 95 years at Western Springs, speedway is moving to Waikaraka Park in Onehunga, despite opposition from the motorsport community and messy handling of the process by council officers.
After seven hours of debate, Auckland councillors voted 11-8 today to spend $11 million upgrading Waikaraka Park - the home of stock and saloon car racing - to host speedway from the 2025-2026 summer season.
Speedway will race at Western Springs this summer season for the last time.
The $11m will be used for "critical works" at Waikaraka Park, including improved track lighting, expanded pit areas, and refurbished facilities.
The proposal to move speedway turned messy at a meeting of the governing body last week when an officer's report showed support for consolidation at Waikaraka Park across the sport, including backing from Speedway New Zealand.
Western Springs in Auckland will host speedway for the last time over the coming summer season. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
The meeting was paused when a letter was tabled from Speedway New Zealand general manager Aaron Kirby, saying the official advice was a "misrepresentation" and at no time had the organisation supported the closure of Western Springs Speedway.
This led to the governing body being adjourned until today, when officers said that since talking with a range of stakeholders, the majority preferred speedway remaining at Western Springs. This included Speedway NZ and Auckland QT Midget Cub, which was also listed in favour of moving in the officer's report last week.
A senior council manager, Anna Bray, said it was unclear how the Auckland QT Midget Cub letter got onto the agenda item and needed to be withdrawn.
Council director of group strategy Max Hardy said while most stakeholders would prefer speedway to stay at Western Springs, most appreciated to some extent that it is not viable, and with $11m on the table that moving was the right result for the sport.
Councillor and former cabinet minister Maurice Williamson said: "If any minister had brought a paper this discombobulated with that many different strands that all contradict each other, the Prime Minister would have had one comment, 'Take this bloody paper away and get it tidy before you bring it back'."
Mayor Wayne Brown said the matter had a long history and is contentious, but Western Springs speedway was heavily constrained by planning rules, expensive to run, limited to 12 events a year, and runs at a loss of $1.1m a year for ratepayers.
"The solution in front of us seems pretty reasonable to me. I understand the need for a good compromise and this appears to give the sport a sustainable, long-term future.
"We have to make more of our existing facilities. Waikaraka Park is an industrial area that does not have noise problems that have plagued Western Springs," he said.
The $11m will be transferred from Tataki Auckland Unlimited (TAU) to the Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Local Board, which is responsible for Waikaraka Park and supports moving speedway to Onehunga.
Councillor John Watson said the notion that Western Springs, "a 95-year-old iconic Auckland institution known the world over", can't be used for speedway is an ambush pushed through by a "sham of a process".
"It's a very sad day, not just for the speedway fraternity but for Auckland," he said.
Councillor Chris Darby said the decision was a good one for speedway, saying there are so many sporting venues where you just have to move on.
"We are providing an opportunity for speedway to move on and build a whole new era of success," he said.
Moving speedway, and possibly Ponsonby Rugby, from Western Springs is linked to a plan by TAU to find a new operator for the park.
TAU sought expressions of interest in June/July that don't rely on ratepayer funding to operate Western Springs. Confidential discussions are ongoing, said TAU chief executive Nick Hill, and talks with Auckland FC - owned by billionaire Bill Foley - involve Western Springs.