J-D 22 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. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deano 1,318 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 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,939 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 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grachan 7,314 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. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mbbunyan 0 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!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grassergirl 0 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. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norbold 7,101 Posted October 24, 2005 I can't believe this thread has been going for two days now and Shazzy is nowhere in sight! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shazzybird 10 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 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KevH 257 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? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shazzybird 10 Posted October 24, 2005 yes Kev hence the quote and not a lot more Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KevH 257 Posted October 24, 2005 yes Kev hence the quote and not a lot more <{POST_SNAPBACK}> What a wise old bird you are. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shazzybird 10 Posted October 24, 2005 Hey Norbold Kev and I have replied now, we waited til no-one else was around Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KevH 257 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. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shazzybird 10 Posted October 24, 2005 Our turn now Kev, they're all asleep Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deano 1,318 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 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
