Chairman of the Board of Wyong Race Club Limited, John Waghorn, has refuted claims that the Club has “closed its gates to community groups and activities” and that the Board was unresponsive to the concerns of community groups which had been long term tenants on the premises.
In an article published in the Chronicle on January 27, an advocacy enterprise. Albert Warner Pty Ltd announced plans to start legal proceedings against the Club (WRC), claiming that it had breached obligations under the Trust over the Wyong Showground land.
Albert Warner Pty Ltd is representing community groups which were evicted from the premises in 2018.
“As it stands, legal action has not started over the ownership of the land, and to be clear, Wyong Race Club is the registered owner of the land,” Waghorn said.
“As the registered owner of the land, WRC entered into licence agreements with a number of tenants occupying premises on the land.
“Within the agreed terms of their licence agreements, WRC, in 2018, requested tenants using the south-west precinct of the Club’s grounds to vacate the premises to make way for future planned development.”
Waghorn said assertions by Albert Warner Pty Ltd that WRC had “closed the gates to all other community groups and activities” and that Club grounds “have been quarantined for horse racing use only” are factually incorrect.
“We’re dealing with assertions and inaccuracies by Mr Hoddinott (spokesman for Albert Warner Pty Ltd),” he said.
“We responded to their lawyers in January last year (2020), asking them to provide some evidence to support their assertions because, we believe, they are totally inaccurate.
“In 12 months they have produced nothing … we put the ball back in their court and they have not responded – it is not the Club that has been unresponsive,” Waghorn said.
He said WRC remained a community facility, which under non-Covid conditions, would regularly host events including markets, weddings, seniors’ events, corporate conferences, school events, functions and festivals.
These typically include the RYDA safer driving program, support of the Tuggerah Lakes Police initiatives such as Police Memorial Day and Domestic Violence Awareness Week, Wyong Radio Field Day, Samaritans’ Christmas lunch, North Lakes Rotary and Give Me 5 for Kids fundraising race days, Orchid Festival and the Purple Gala Cancer Council Charity fundraiser, to name a few.
Unfortunately, a Thank You Race Day set for April 9, 2020, which was arranged by Wyong Race Club to recognise the community volunteer organisations SES, RFS and Central Coast Volunteer Rescue Service following the bushfires and floods of early 2020 was cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The Club has every intention of continuing to develop the Club’s land and facilities for the Central Coast Community’s benefit and will be seeking funding and support from the State Government, Racing NSW and Central Coast Council to do so.
The WRC Board is very mindful that the WRC facilities are there for the enjoyment of the wider community and as such, the Board has always undertaken their due diligence, including seeking legal advice prior to making any decision.
“Wyong Race Club Ltd, formerly known as The Wyong Agricultural Society, is a not-for-profit organisation that uses its infrastructure and thoroughbred racing activities for the economic and social welfare of the local community.”
Waghorn said a report commissioned in 2020 confirmed its economic benefit to the local community to be over $40M per annum, with the equivalent of over 300 people employed full-time as a result of the Club’s existence and ongoing operation. (Source: IER September 2020)
“Despite this significant economic and social benefit, WRC remains a not-for-profit entity, re-investing any proceeds from its training activities into the maintenance and upgrading of its facilities,” he said.
“Furthermore, WRC has been fortunate to be provided with a number of grants from Racing NSW which have been utilised on new infrastructure within WRC grounds.
“Such upgrades provide the local community with greater opportunity for employment and once the upgrades have been completed, allow the local community to enjoy the facilities,” Waghorn said.
Sue Murray