Rotorua Stockcar Club board member Ray Millar with supervisor
Natalie Porter. Ray has seen the face of the Paradise Valley Raceway
change for the better thanks to offenders on community work sentences.
Stockcar enthusiasts in Rotorua can better enjoy the spectator sport after hard work by offenders on community work sentences to improve and expand the local speedway.
Offenders have been helping to maintain Paradise Valley Raceway since it opened in 1970. As well as building retaining walls out of old tyres and camouflaging them with native trees, offenders also regularly lay soil on the track, which is used for around 30 events every year.
The track’s popularity has prompted an expansion of the venue, particularly the parking area, to accommodate larger events. In the past year offenders have been clearing land and removing rubbish to make way for the new car park.
“It’s been a mighty job, but we’ve been more than happy with the work they have delivered,” says Rotorua Stockcar Club board member Ray Millar.
“We’re very grateful for their efforts.”
The car park was finished just in time for the peak summer season, and one of NZ Speedway’s premier events – the 2008 Superstock Championship in which 20 of New Zealand’s best took on six overseas competitors. Located just 20 minutes outside of the central city, Paradise Valley Raceway brings in thousands of dollars to the local economy with most patrons travelling from out of town to attend select events.
Some of the work completed, such as trench digging, can only be done by hand, which is why the offenders’ involvement was so important.
“A lot of the work the offenders do behind the scenes makes such a difference,” says Rotorua Stockcar club secretary Sonja Hickey.
Over the years the club has received many positive comments from the public, and was last year presented with an award from the local council as part of the Keep Rotorua Beautiful campaign. Paradise Valley Raceway also won the NZ Speedway’s Best Presented Track Award in May last year.
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ISSN 1178-1327