A straight track could be part of the plan for the new home of the Dapto Dogs.
In January Greyhound Racing NSW acquired an 11-hectare site on Bong Bong Road, opposite Reed Park, for $4 million.
The move was in part precipitated by issues with the leasing arrangements at the current Dapto Showground site.
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In November 2019 it was announced the Greyhound Racing NSW lease with the Dapto Agricultural & Horticultural Society would not be renewed.
That prompted a court injunction to allow that week's race meeting to go ahead before an uneasy truce was reached with a new lease.
Still just two months later, the purchase of the Bong Bong Road site was announced.
"We want to build a brand-new track with the very latest design and technology in it, specifically to get the best possible safe results," Greyhound Racing NSW chief executive officer Rob Macaulay said.
At that time, the plan was for a two-turn track but recent artist's impressions released for public comment show a straight track.
The idea behind a straight track is that it reduces the risk of injuries to the greyhounds caused by having to negotiate up to four bends on an oval track.
At this stage no development application has been lodged with Wollongong City Council for the new track but the proposal has been put out for public comment.
The greyhound racing facilities at Dapto will use about 30 per cent of the land at the Bong Bong Road site, leaving 70 per cent open for other community uses.
"We are very excited by the new centre of excellence planned for Dapto greyhounds, but also for what the facility can do for the local community as a multi-sports complex," Mr Macaulay said.
"The site will not only be a racing venue with scope for significant community-based usage, it will be multi-functional with the potential for other sports to have use of the facility and we have already locked in a Men's Shed for the venue."
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Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
