Sep 022016
 

MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT DR. STEVE SMITH RE: FUTURE OF NORTHLANDS

HBPA members;

 

On the afternoon of August 31, 2016 I represented the HBPA of Alberta in discussions with the Edmonton Mayor and City Council regarding Northlands’ proposal to redevelop their property and discontinue racing operations. Rick LeLacheur represented HRA.

We were able to convey the message that racing needs to continue at Northlands until a new Facility in the Edmonton area is available. Response from the Mayor and Council was very favorable – they were interested in the impact that horse racing has on the city of Edmonton and openly supported continuing racing on the Northlands Park site for the next 2 years.

Mayor Don Iveson made a Motion (to be voted on soon) that included sending a letter to HRA supporting racing at Northlands until a new racetrack is available. This is the outcome we had hoped for- assuming the Mayor’s Motion to continue racing is adopted and pending the outcome of the RFP process to develop a new ‘A’ racetrack in the Edmonton area we will have a Facility to race at in Edmonton for the foreseeable future.

 

Thank you,

 

Dr. Steven D Smith

President, HBPA of Alberta

Link:

MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT DR. STEVE SMITH RE: FUTURE OF NORTHLANDS

  2 Responses to “MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT DR. STEVE SMITH RE: FUTURE OF NORTHLANDS”

  1. REID’S RESPONSE ON NEWS 880AM CAST ASPERSIONS ON NORTHLANDS INTENTIONS!

    NORTHLANDS’ PRESIDENT TIM REID “when asked if horse racing with bubble gum (fan of jp bubble gum kid?) and bailing wire (with Northlands shouldn’t it be haywire) can hold the facility together, replied that Northlands can manage the SAFETY ISSUES and quality of the track, but with 70 yr buildings (build in 1954 per red mckenzie) on the facility that it needs a sizable investment in the next 10 YEARS” or when hell freezes with global warning good luck race industry.

    CONCERNED HBPA MEMBERS cant get your quarters worth in by sending a message to mike.nickel@edmonton.ca about the condition of the backstretch and compliance to OHSA since you are covered under WCB, and doubts about Northlands further GOVERNANCE of live horse racing and invite him to visit you in the backstretch with other city decision makers to present your shedrow woes!

  2. NORTHLANDS FLIP FLOPPING ABOUT HORSE RACING HITS A NEW HIGH

    PRESIDENT REID states that due to the capital cost of repairing the barn areas, horse racing is not profitable, what happened to the $73 million in operating grants that Northlands Park got from HRA in the past decade. Why was this money slushed over to some other fun and not used to repair the infrastructure. Whya did HBPA Alberta have to take Northlands Park to arbitration to compel Northlands Park to do the repairs they agreed to perform.
    HRA Tenile when asked about their lack of regard for the equine and workers in terms of repairing infrastructure, says like children they get their allowance and can spend it any way they want!

    HRA tweets that competent parties are available to run racing at NORTHLANDS, perhaps they should look at their own pathetic performance at meeting budget forecasts, where is the 2016 business plan? Did northlands borrow tenile’s abacus to predict vision 2020 development costs.

    HORSE WELFARE CANADA’S independent roof/leaking winter barn investigation without political interference in the spring 2014 is in councils hands and might force Edmonton’s council’s hand in ensuring that the barn repairs occur and that Northlands meet future OHSA requirements, but after 4 slam dunk investigations and multiple workplace violations in the past decade they don’t really care about the horse industry just the cash flow for sinkhole Expo Centre.

    NORTHLANDS PAST PRESIDENT ANDERSON stated that they didn’t need the Oilers and they lost money from hockey operations, surprise surprise as soon as the major tenant Oilers left they can’t met interest payment of their $48 million city loan, after getting $20 million in grants and paying no TAXES!

    CAPTAIN awakes from his slumber to make a 5 minute speech to council. Maybe the Captain should explain his HRA expense account with JAN 9 DATE and backs it with flight receipts from JAN 30?

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