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Back to Home Letters - September 22, 2011 Letters: Sept 22

Motocross racing in Harrowsmith, Brenda Crawford

Motocross racing in Harrowsmith

Our Township Council needs to re-evaluate their stance on these events in Harrowsmith. I believed that Council had agreed to let Mr. Day have an event this year on a trial basis. This decision made a lot of sense to me. Our village really needs an event like this to help our stores and restaurant with all the dollars that this would bring in to our village, as well as the village of Sydenham. It is not the legendary Mud Drags that Verona has every year (do not get me started on safety issues at this event). It is not the annual Verona Jamboree (noise level very high), the Garlic Festival, the Cat-Tail Festival, the Heritage Festival (traffic jams, loud music, etc. right in the village centre). Mr. Day has stepped up to the plate and purchased a water truck, extra land, and agreed to only hold the races in the daylight hours. The supposed noise (not yet proven) could not be as bad as the ATVs speeding up and down the trail at all hours of the day and night. The snowmobiles are another noise concern.

Coming to the country for seclusion and complete quiet is a myth for city folk to ponder. When the city limits are moved to the country, we all have to come to compromises.

Also it must be mentioned that if safety was a major detriment to the event, grass-drags are not the same as moto cross. Apples and oranges. A safety certified professional could have been hired by the township to oversee this past Labour Day grass-drags and give some real input to Mr. Day on how he might better prepare for the future, if in fact there was a problem.

Harrowsmith needs this event. Let Mr. Day have a chance to showcase this fun kid-friendly, family-friendly weekend. I will remember when re-election happens that Mr. Robinson honoured his promise to give Bill Day his races. I hope everyone else remembers this as well.

Brenda Crawford