Wentworth Park Refurbishment Completed

The $2.7 million Wentworth Park refurbishments were open to the public on Saturday night at the 2008 Rapidvite Nationals and they were roundly applauded.

The entire project at Wentworth Park, which encompassed the total renovation of all three floors, was completed on time and on budget, remarkably in only nine weeks on site. In that time only two race meetings were re-located away from Wentworth Park.

Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) Chairman Professor Percy Allan AM addressed a large interstate audience attending the Rapidvite Nationals on Saturday night and praised the work that had been done to get the renovations completed.

“The refurbishment of the Wentworth Park grandstand has cost almost $2.7 million. This money has come from the GRNSW industry development fund and NSW can now be proud of having one of the best greyhound racing venues in Australia,” Professor Allan said.

“Combined with recent works undertaken on the grandstand roof, plus the current kennel refurbishments, GRNSW has invested just over $3.8 million into Wentworth Park in the last two years
alone.

“When that is added to almost $2 million that the Wentworth Park Trust have contributed, which in part funded the demolition and opening up of the entry to the complex, it is clear that the improvement of our number one greyhound track in NSW has been a priority.

“As an industry in NSW we will be judged by our premier venue and we now have a setting which is
considerably more marketable and will allow us to drive increased sponsorship and public support, which in turn only strengthens greyhound racing in NSW.”

Professor Allan also made mention of the efforts of those that contributed to making sure the project remained on track and was completed so successfully.

“I would like to specifically acknowledge the work done by the major players in the project such as North Construction and Building, Response Group, NSW Greyhound Breeders Owners and Trainers
Association and the Wentworth Park Trust,” Professor Allan said.

“Special mention must also be made of GRNSW General Manager of Operations Darren Simpson, who has managed the project from conception to completion.”

Professor Allan said that at the inception of GRNSW five years ago, greyhound industry facilities were in a very poor state.

“Since then the industry development fund (not including works at Wentworth Park) has spent almost
$13 million rehabilitating and improving facilities and venues across the state, with nearly $7 million of that directed at our top tier TAB venues.

“It has been a serious investment, which has demonstrated our commitment to the long term sustainability of greyhound racing in NSW, and a critical investment to lift the image and presentation of our facilities.

“It is also important to recognise that this is an investment that has been funded completely by the
industry, with no assistance from government funding. It has been an investment in our future,” Professor Percy Allan concluded.

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