Sad news for Swindon RCMCC [Archive]

Yorkiebar

22-10-2018, 09:12 AM

Quote from the club secretary:

At the AGM today myself and Neil have stood down from the committee so we have vacant positions for Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer.

As explained today if these positions are not taken up the club will have to be dissolved, with this in mind it was agreed by those present that we would hold a EGM in one months’ time (18th Nov) at the track to allow people that were not at the meeting to come forward to fill the committee positions, we can still have practice sessions but no race meetings until this situation is resolved

Please contact me if you feel able to fill one of these roles

This, coupled with the fact the council have served the club with an eviction notice due to land redevelopment means an uncertain future for the club. They are meant to be finding an alternative venue for us but hey are moving very slowly, we have until march before the eviction is due to happen.

Without this club there is a massive hole in the area left behind - all other clubs are at least 1.5 hours drive in any direction.

Please - if anyone feels up to the challenge of filling any of the positions then please get in touch with either myself on here, or post in the Swindon RCMCC Facebook group.

Zippy G

22-10-2018, 02:15 PM

Yorkiebar

22-10-2018, 04:55 PM

Good to know, thanks Sam.

RudeTony

23-10-2018, 09:07 AM

Please take note for your consideration.

Early 2001 Hampshire Racing Centre was told that Offices were going to be built on the ground we raced at and we had to vacate a growing club that already held National events.

Till this day, nothing has been built there.

Just make sure and doubly sure that things are actually happening because a little club in the eyes of councils could just be forgotten in the paperwork.

Good luck for the future

Yorkiebar

23-10-2018, 09:59 AM

Thanks Tony.

I'm not on the committee myself, so not privy to the exact official wording from the council, but here is what I know:

The land is in planning stages to be redeveloped into a sports facility, with an outdoor cycling track and cafe exactly where our track is.

We used to be on a yearly lease with the council, it has now dropped to a rolling monthly lease.

We have been served with an official notice of eviction to be completed by March.

The council have yet to gain additional outside funding for the new facility.

The council have yet to provide a suitable new venue, also stating that we have to be evicted first before they can find one for us... I guess we will just suspend all the track equipment and storage from giant invisible skyhooks during the transition!

A few of us have looked into private alternative sites to rent but not having much luck, with one farmer asking for £1000 a month rent for a bare field with no services!

knighthawk

23-10-2018, 03:43 PM

This is a real bummer,
How many times have we heard this about clubs folding because the council pulled the land for redevelopment

Real shame for Swindon a, had a great meeting at the Short Course National and was looking forward to visiting more next year

On another note, this region could really do with an new venue or indoor club as there's a massive hole in the map, with Swindon now gone, for me the nearest club is now 90mins-2 hours away

And a £1000 a month is just ridiculous

Yorkiebar

23-10-2018, 04:19 PM

Thanks for the kind words, Derek. It seems to be a similar story from most non regular visitors to the track, that they all enjoy running there. It's a great facility and has come a long way.

On a personal note, I just want to add that I've only been back into the game for 18 months, but in that time the club has made me and my lad feel extremely welcome, we've both made some really good friends and it would be a shame to lose something like this. No-one is blaming the committee members for standing down at all, they have their personal reasons and it's not simply a case of deserting a sinking ship. I want to thank them all for what they have done over the years. Regarding myself - it's pure bad timing, as I'm between 2 ends of the country at the moment and have far too much on myself to devote any sort of time to a committee position at the moment.

I'm an eternal optimist so fingers crossed something good will come up. :)

lifeofbrian

23-10-2018, 07:26 PM

You'd think that councils would encourage places where people can pursue their hobbies, so many people these days especially young men find themselves with nothing in their lives. There are a fair few skate parks and BMX tracks around, not enough, but much more than RC tracks. There should be an RC track in every town, get people young and old off their computer games. Maybe someone needs to talk to the council and tell them how great it is for the community, even just as a spectator sport, gotta try something.

That being said, RC enthusiasts need to realise we're on our own for now and sort our own land out. You can buy land all over the UK for as little as £1000 per acre. Of course, a lot of this is not for development, but a simple track, with a stand etc. This may be a choice? Anyway, Good luck.

pumbaa

23-10-2018, 07:50 PM

HI
I am currently looking for an indoor venue, preferably permenant but setup and strip down is an option. I'v secured EOS carpet and timing kit, I'm happy to look into anything along the M4 corridor.

Interesting. How far down the M4 corridor is viable? Thinking one of the old hangers at Hullavington (J17, Chippenham) might be an option. Closer to Bristol the better for me as my nearest EOS venue is Midlands Raceway.

Massive shame about the Swindon track. I dread to think what the overall cost of building that 10th track was. It has a bit of everything and is a real test.

Sadly Swindon Borough Council have previous. Ask anybody who follows the football and speedway teams. I'd hold out little hope for a niche rc club.

knighthawk

23-10-2018, 08:35 PM

Interesting.
Thinking one of the old hangers at Hullavington (J17, Chippenham) might be an option. On EOS carpet !

Now there’s an idea
There is a karting track in one already

daz75

23-10-2018, 09:00 PM

swords

24-10-2018, 02:30 PM

if trowbridge is an option for the guy looking for an indoor facility, there is a hall in the trowbridge sports center next to clarendon academy which would be perfect, its a massive hall, has a balcony overlooking which is perfect to use as a rostrum and has stacks of parking too. Dont know what costs would be but i know that some martial arts clubs hire the venue on weekdays for around 20 people at a time so I imagine it would be reasonable.

alan p

26-10-2018, 08:13 AM

Surely the council can't just do that. If they are building a sports facility why can't part of that faculty be an rc track?

If suggest letting your local paper know what's happening and labour the fact young lads will no longer be able to race and will end up hanging round street corners :lol:

Good luck

Orignaly we were included with the plans but in the last revision the track was removed and no reasn given.

We have talked to the local paper, but they dont seam that intrested in our issues :thumbdown:

JCJC

26-10-2018, 10:50 AM

Planning application HERE (https://pa1.swindon.gov.uk/publicaccess/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=PDLW5QPTI1N00) if you are interested, shame RC cannot be included, perhaps it's not a sport ?

Looks like the RC area is being replaced with the pavilion & bin storage, is there a little bit of space left in the corner ? Cricket looks like it's being squashed up to fit the all weather football pitch, existing RC pitting area becomes the car park.

Edit: attach snapshots, trees are handy reference

daz75

26-10-2018, 12:31 PM

More football just what we need :thumbdown:

knighthawk

26-10-2018, 07:13 PM

More football just what we need :thumbdown:

Bloody crap
Sorry for language but this really has pee’d me off

Why does this so called sport ( sorry it’s not ) get more respect than any other

As for the papers, probably no money in it for them

JCJC

28-10-2018, 10:15 AM

Looking over the Sport England list of recognized sports I cannot see any reference to RC or the BRCA mentioned as a National Governing Body. (as a btb, model aircraft flying is recognized as a sport).

Lists HERE (https://www.sportengland.org/our-work/national-governing-bodies/sports-that-we-recognise/) and HERE (https://www.sportengland.org/media/12901/list-of-uk-recognised-ngbs-and-sport-list-february-2018.pdf)

EDIT 19th November 2018 : (Application Granted 15th November.)
I asked (today) the BRCA if they were on the list 'Sporting Activities and Governing Bodies Recognised by the Sports Councils'
from Sport England web site.
The nice quick reply from the BRCA is, 'You'll find Motor Sport and the MSA (Motor Sport association now operating as 'Motorsport UK') on the Sport England list.'
A search on the motor sport association website will find the BRCA

daz75

28-10-2018, 12:31 PM

What have the BRCA said about this situation?

JCJC

28-10-2018, 03:37 PM

Looking again at the proposal referenced above, Sport England have been asked to comment and the pdf reply is interesting (19th Sept 2018).
(I try to link but.........)

They have mentioned cricket, football and other sports but Swindon RC Car track/club is not included and governing body not consulted.

I would have thought it would be a good idea for the BRCA to be asked for an opinion, precedents for other clubs etc at the very least.

mattr

28-10-2018, 03:39 PM

The irony is that most of the road cycling facilities built in the UK have large open areas inside the oval of the track. Mostly just grassed over. I suspect that with very little extra cost, a space big enough for the track/pits could be found tucked into a corner of the road circuit. Would require some work to reinstate/rebuild, but still. Just getting rid seems slightly heavy handed.

FWIW our club was closed 5 years ago due to "imminent road works". We cleared out, then it took them nearly four years to actually get to that bit.

mattr

28-10-2018, 03:42 PM

could move the BMX track and warm up area along a bit and stick a track in where the BMX/clear space is now.

Ah well. Best not to ask questions of the council, or they'll f**k you over even more.

Zippy G

29-10-2018, 06:58 AM

Interesting. How far down the M4 corridor is viable? Thinking one of the old hangers at Hullavington (J17, Chippenham) might be an option. Closer to Bristol the better for me as my nearest EOS venue is Midlands Raceway.

Massive shame about the Swindon track. I dread to think what the overall cost of building that 10th track was. It has a bit of everything and is a real test.

Sadly Swindon Borough Council have previous. Ask anybody who follows the football and speedway teams. I'd hold out little hope for a niche rc club.

I was hoping to stay this side of junction 10 (i'm at junction 4) so its close enough for most people to get to as well as me to get there early enough to start the track builds.

So anything upto Reading area would be nice

pumbaa

31-10-2018, 01:16 PM

Thought as much as I know you're West London based. Shame as Reading is an hour and 45 away from me.

Have you checked out White Waltham aerodrome? Just off the Maidenhead junction. Been a while since I've been near it, but could be worth checking out.

JCJC

31-10-2018, 08:26 PM

Anybody expecting this to be discussed/approved at the Planning Committee meeting on the 13th November 2018 ?

Anybody managed to give the BRCA a poke and get an opinion ?

JCJC

06-11-2018, 10:38 AM

Attached agenda frontsheet for planning meeting 13th November 2018
there is also a fuller reports pack

from : HERE (https://ww5.swindon.gov.uk/moderngov/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=281&MId=9572) items 35 and 36.

daz75

06-11-2018, 04:15 PM

Hope you guys are going to fight your corner. Good luck

JCJC

07-11-2018, 09:22 PM

1001 views in two weeks, outstanding :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Lets hope something comes out of it, lot of work gone into this track over the years.

Yorkiebar

08-11-2018, 10:34 AM

Thanks for the link to the planning meeting JCJC - I posted it in our Facebook group and hopefully someone from the club is attending the meeting.

JCJC

08-11-2018, 05:37 PM

Good work Yorkie, hope you are not steamrollered and ignored, cannot understand why comments cannot be added or if this planning meeting will be final. May be worth approaching local councillors if you are a Swindon voter if only for advise, that's what they are for.

Who knows perhaps they have a nice new home for you up there sleeve.

pumbaa

13-11-2018, 10:22 PM

Don't know if anybody from the club attended the meeting tonight, but following a tweet from local MP Justin Tomlinson regarding the Speedway Stadium, I've made him aware of the club's situation and he has asked somebody to contact him by email. I've sent the details to the club chairman.

Wouldn't hold your breath mind, but hopefully this helps a little.

Yorkiebar

13-11-2018, 11:15 PM

Top stuff, thanks Pumbaa!

I'm 3hrs away or I would have gone myself, but hopefully someone attended as I posted it in the FB group and someone was trying to shuffle things round to attend.

pumbaa

15-11-2018, 12:56 PM

daz75

15-11-2018, 02:01 PM

Did anyone from the club represent?

knighthawk

15-11-2018, 02:23 PM

https://swindonlink.com/news/moredon-recreation-ground-go-ahead/

Looks like the Council have made their decision to go ahead with the proposed development. I expect those within the Club are aware of this.

Sorry but not shocked
The decision was made months ago, the hearing is just a formality to be seen to be consulting the community

Another great club bites the dust :thumbdown:

pumbaa

15-11-2018, 03:12 PM

You're probably right Derek. AFAIK, Alan (Chairman) is aware and is hopefully in the process of contacting the local MP. But I doubt it's high enough on his priority list to get excited about with everything else going on atm.

Yorkiebar

19-11-2018, 10:28 AM

A bit of good news from this weekend's EGM - we now have a replacement committee! 3 members have put themselves forward for the roles needed for the club to continue running.

We still have the relocation issue to resolve but the club as an entity lives to fight another day :)

Thank you for all your support.

alan p

23-02-2019, 05:49 PM

For those that were not at the track last Sunday we are pleased to announce that we are going to be able to keep the track for the summer season as the council have extended the lease till autumn... :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

knighthawk

25-02-2019, 08:58 AM