Racetrack extremely positive for area, retired vet says

Chuck Lockton addresses city council during a public meeting Monday night regarding the proposed Nipissing Racetrack. Photo by Phil Novak, BayToday.ca.

Every day’s a gamble, Chuck Lockton says, but the retired veterinarian believes the odds would be in North Bay's favour if city council approves a rezoning application for a racetrack that could, in the future contain a slots facility.

Lockton, once the chief veterinarian for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, gave his point of view Monday night at a public meeting held to look at the application submitted by Nipissing Entertainment for Nipissing Raceway.

Extremely positive
The city decided to put the matter on the Community Services Committee agenda, even though the province announced last week there would be no new casinos or slots in racetracks beyond those already approved.

Lockton, who lives in Callander, said the racetrack would be “extremely positive” for local farmers, and feed mills and feed supply stores in the surrounding areas.

Horse owners would also live in the area, train here and contribute to the local economy, Lockton said.

“This cannot help but be a plus for us.”

They love horses
A race track would also be a “huge opportunity” for the “marginally employable,” Lockton said.

He alluded to taking a politician to a Sudbury race track when he was a vet for the Ontario Racing Commission.

“I showed him the number of people who are employed there who probably wouldn’t be able to get work else where, and wouldn’t be interested in trying,” Lockton said.

“But because they love horses and are willing to work at a track they are employed and aren’t on our welfare rolls.”

Biggest gamble
Lockton acknowledged racetracks need slot facilities to survive, and then talked about gambling.

“As far as gambling goes, it's a gamble every day, it’s a gamble to cross the street,” Lockton said.

And as for the addictive nature of gambling, Lockton said alcohol can be addictive too.

“But when they closed all the liquor outlets during prohibition it didn’t make any difference,” Lockton said.

“Besides the biggest gamble in racing is the man who owns the horse. Now there’s your gamble.”

In a society ready to liberalize marijuana laws, Lockton said, “I can’t believe you wouldn’t let me have a flutter on the ponies.”

Readily stolen
Best Western sales manager Angela Johnston also spoke bluntly about the need for the racetrack to attract “vital new” tourism business.

“At present we have over 300 buses that come to North Bay. They don’t stay in North Bay, they do a stopover, they go to the Dionne Quints museum, they have lunch and then they bugger off to areas they find more interesting.”

Bill Irwin, president of the North Bay Snowmobilers Club, asked council to endorse the application.

Irwin said one of the trails the club uses to connect Lake Nipissing and Trout Lake passes through the land the racetrack would sit on.

He also said Nipissing vice president Don Fudge had told him the company would improve that part of the trail for the club.

“Not only would they make the trail better for us but they would also build a facility to allow snowmobilers to utilize their facilities,” Irwin said.

“Snowmobiles can be quite readily stolen and they made an offer to provide us a secure patrolled parking area.”

Absurd
Ryan McVeigh responded to earlier claims made by opponents of the project: that university enrolment by out of town students would drop if slots at the racetrack were approved.

“I find this incredibly ludicrous,” said McVeigh, a second year student in an honours degree program in history at Nipissing University.

“To think about turning down a progressive initiative such as this for the betterment of North Bay is absurd. There is nothing but positive things that can come from having this establishment within the city limits and I implore you, as a young person, to pass this.”

Great white wilderness
Tom Roe moved to North Bay from Sarnia, but said slots at racetracks helped pull his former home town out of the doldrums.

North Bay would benefit from slots, he said, because he believes the city is even a better tourist draw than Sarnia.

“This is the great North, the great white wilderness of Canada, people, Americans love it, and all you got to do is finish this Hwy 11 and you’ve got it made,” Roe said to thunderous applause.

“The city of Sarnia is a darn nice place, but I like North Bay better.”


Click here to read what people on the opposite end of the issue had to say to council.