SPECTATOR facilities are coming under the microscope at Calder Park Raceway, as the facility continues its reconstruction efforts.
Significant works have seen a range of motorsports return to the venue, with a recently commissioned program resulting in the replacement of lighting across the site.
Elsewhere, extensive work has relocated seating from the Thunderdome’s grandstand to now encircle the start area of the drag strip, which can also be utilised by spectators of circuit racing and drifting.
Additionally, Calder Park has recently taken delivery of several former Australian Grand Prix concrete mini-grandstands, which will be moved into position once the weather and ground conditions improve.
“That terrace seating will be going in the Thunderdome near what we call the south building end, down near where the drifting takes place,” said Rowan Harman, Calder Park Venue Manager.
“That will add some extra seating capacity, it should make it a bit more user-friendly, more comfortable.”
Further amenities are also on the circuit’s wish list, with the large grandstand that faces the National Circuit’s start-finish line having remained locked in recent times, with damage to the top of the structure clearly visible.
However, plans are underway to revitalise the area for spectator use.
“The grandstand is perfectly sound, we’ve had an engineering report done, and it’s structurally sound, as are the NASCAR garages,” said Harmon.
“It’s more so the appearance – what happened there is the big storm in November 2021 blew half of the structure off the top.
“Then, being exposed to weather, all of the flooring for that structure up the top wasn’t weather-proofed, and it has obviously deteriorated over time.
“Do we take it down and just make it a fully serviceable grandstand again, or do we rebuild the structures at the top?
“That’s with head office, but if we were able to make it safe up the top, the grandstand is perfectly usable.”
“We are staying on top of the appearance side of things; we don’t have a budget to paint it as such, but we are keeping all of the nooks and crannies clear, the weeds down, and keeping it mowed,” said Harmon.
“Over a period of time, there has been some stuff that has been put in the wrong spots, so we’re relocating that just to make the whole venue more of a usable public space.
“We’re getting more and more enquiries from car clubs for car shows and that sort of thing.
“We’re just going to keep chipping away; we don’t have a budget for any major works right now, but we’ve done all of the planning and due diligence on those things.
“The bones are here, and there’s plenty of flesh on the bones!”
