By GEOFF VIVIAN
A LOCAL motorsports and driver training entrepreneur said people should not have to wait much longer for an Albany motorplex as plans are well advanced.
Kim Ledger said he paid $35,000 for an option to buy a 470 acre (190ha) property opposite the chip mill in Down Road and had progressed two possible options for developing it as a motorplex.
“The property should vest eventually with the City of Albany,” he said.
“The property then would be leased on a peppercorn rental basis for a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee.
“That’s also provided that it’s developed under the guidelines of the Department of Sport and Recreation and in-line with peak Australian sporting body regulations.”
Mr Ledger said this future company, which would be owned by various motor sporting bodies, would manage and develop the facility.
The shareholders in the company would therefore be groups or clubs representing 10 or 15 different sports.
Should this not be possible, Mr Ledger said he had a second business plan whereby private enterprise would own and run the motorplex.
He envisaged four or five people buying the property jointly and contributing up to $25 million over five years to develop it.
This would almost certainly lead to higher costs for the groups using the facility, which would be passed on to spectators and participants.
“We have to show how we can make return for those people over that period,” he said.
“The cost would have to be higher than what it is if we don’t have to capitalise the land into it.”
The WA Nationals and Labor parties have each promised to provide $6 million towards a motorplex if either of them win government at the March 11 State Election.
Mr Ledger said this money could be given to the City of Albany, which could re-imburse him for his deposit, pay the $950,000 asking price to purchase the land and commence development.
Under his preferred model it should start generating an income within 12 months, which would then fund further development.
“Once the initial grants go in it should not cost anybody any money,” he said.
He envisaged the motorplex would eventually be a home to mountain biking, a 4WD training and rally car track, a drag strip and possible future speedway and go-kart circuits.
It would also include a 3km multi-use track.
“Our intention is to try to build a circuit which is FIA Level 2 approved that’s 12 to 16 metres wide for motorcars and cycles,” he said.
“In the middle of that we will have drifting roads – it’s a different class of motor sport which is a very popular and growing form of motorsport.
“We’ll also have a criterion pushbike track. Currently there isn’t one in Western Australia.”
Mr Ledger chose the Down Road block three years ago because it had all the characteristics needed for a variety of motorsports.
“It’s well serviced by Down Road which will become a main trucking track road,” he said.
“And it’s tree-lined on two sides so you can’t actually see it from the road but when you get through that you can look across this beautiful property.”
He said the property was bordered by Down Road west and Down Road.
“The Down Road West side is one of the highest points of the property and it’s at that end that we would probably have our driving centre and administration,” he said.
Mr Ledger said he had been involved in WA motorsport for 45 years and had a passion for driver training.
This had led his company to develop MC Motorsports, a multi-use facility at Perth airport that allowed driver training for trucks, cars, motorcycles, forklift, first aid and defensive driver training.
“We were the only quality-assured driving centre in the southern hemisphere.”
“It was also a low-level motorsport facility. MC Motorsport became the place for getting young people or old revheads off the road and into a low-level safe environment to compete with whatever car they have,” he said.
The RAC bought the facility seven or eight years ago. Mr Ledger is also instrumental in bringing the Racewars event to Albany in March which will use the Albany runway’s 1.8km surface as a drag strip.
He said this would show Albany people the potential that a quality motorsport event had to stimulate tourism
“That’s potentially going to bring 5,000 people in. It’s certainly booked everything out in Albany,” he said.
“People will go anywhere to try and find somewhere that’s safety-surveyed, run to a control, and running in a competitive yet safe situation.”
