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Racetrack application moves on to council

North Bay city council will be making one of the biggest decision of its mandate next Monday when the rezoning application for a racetrack with slots comes before it.
North Bay city council will be making one of the biggest decision of its mandate next Monday when the rezoning application for a racetrack with slots comes before it.

Nipissing Entertainment has requested the zoning to allow it to build the track on property it owns on Birch's Road.

The company wants to proceed with the slots aspect of the proposal even though the Ontario government announced last week there will be no expansion of the slots in racetracks program.

The council chamber was packed Monday night at the committee meeting of council as supporters and opponents of the proposal showed up to voice their opinions to the Community Services Committee.

About 16 people in all spoke including Nipissing representatives Don Fudge and Richard Ciano, Best Western sales manager Angela Johnson, and retired veteranarian Chuck Lockton, all of whom favour the proposal, and North Bay residents Don Priebe, Charles Campbell, Bill Clark, and Callander resident Meg Purdy, who oppose it.

Committee chairman Dave Mendicino called for the vote on the rezoning request following two-and-a-half hours of presentations.

Coun. George Maroosis and Mayor Vic Fedeli voted against the request, while Mendicino and Coun. Judy Koziol voted in favour.

The final decision will be made next week.

BayToday. ca will have more on this story later this morning.