GRSA Release Details Of Significant Infrastructure Upgrades
In a bold and welcome move, Greyhound Racing South Australia (GRSA) have released specific details of its main targets for those planned infrastructure upgrade across the state, as part of its Strategic Plan released last year.
The list includes 23 individually outlined items that have been upgraded or are planned for modernisation across fives areas – four tracks and administration systems – with a total of $1.5 million being shelled out.
Those items of note include a $280,000 overhaul of the McQueen's Tavern and Gaming venue, the installation of a lift, automated irrigation system and improvements to some areas of Chasers restaurant, all at the Angle Park track.
A badly needed upgrade to all television equipment around the Angle Park course has also been identified. It may come with a $130,000 price tag, but this is surely welcome news to anyone that attends South Australian tracks regularly, used to having to rely on 1980-style box televisions for Sky Channel and market information only visible for those patrons seated directly opposite.
Mount Gambier is in line to receive small facelifts in several areas also, including the vet room, kitchen and Air-conditioning unit being installed in the kennelhouse; something which many would argue should be made compulsory in all tracks around Australia.
Gawler works are mainly completed, including the highly publicised refurbishment of the kennel-house.
From an administration perspective, the move to the OzChase computing system has come down at a cost of nearly a quarter-million dollars, however this must also be regarded as a move in the right direction towards national uniformity in racing processes.
While all this news brings a ray sunshine to the future of South Australian racing, one must surely ask how infrastructure in the southern state has been neglected to a point where this much attention is necessary. With an obvious focus to avoid the mistakes of the past, perhaps the old adage ‘you have to spend money to make money' is the new philosophy of the Board at this time.
However, to come from such a distance back may result in South Australia merely catching up to the other states rather than getting ahead of the game.
Regardless of that opinion, GRSA are still keen to let it be known that while the level of spending has significantly increased, the key focus will remain on getting funds back in the hands of participants, and despite those projects that were undertaken last financial year, industry returns have increased by over 6%.
The full list of infrastructure projects outlined by GRSA is given below:
GRSA Infrastructure Development Projects
Location | Description | Cost |
---|---|---|
ANGLE PARK | McQueens Refurbishment | $283, 617 |
ANGLE PARK | Lift Installation | $166,500 |
ANGLE PARK | TV Monitor Replacement | $130,000 |
ANGLE PARK | Maintenance Shed | $117, 550 |
ANGLE PARK | Restrooms (Chasers) | $79,750 |
ANGLE PARK | Beer System (Chasers) | $37,830 |
ANGLE PARK | Irrigation System | $47,000 |
ANGLE PARK | Vet Clinic – Digital Imaging | $24,750 |
ANGLE PARK | Power Factor Correction Unit | $14,750 |
ANGLE PARK | Water Tank | $14,000 |
GAWLER | Kennelhouse Refurbishment | $253,000 |
GAWLER | Landscaping and Fencing | $16,782 |
MOUNT GAMBIER | Safety Rail | $16,306 |
MOUNT GAMBIER | Kennel Security Cages | $12,000 |
MOUNT GAMBIER | Kennelhouse Air-Con | $6,000 |
MOUNT GAMBIER | Ride-on Lawnmower | $5000 |
MOUNT GAMBIER | Vet Room Upgrade | $4000 |
MOUNT GAMBIER | Audio/Visual Upgrade | $3500 |
MOUNT GAMBIER | Kitchen Equipment | $2000 |
PORT AUGUSTA | Audio/Visual Upgrade | $3500 |
ADMINISTRATION | OzChase IT Platform | $239,150 |
ADMINISTRATION | Swipe Card Security System | $15,290 |
ADMINISTRATION | Electrical Testing and Tagging | $7980 |