Drag racers in Port Alberni are hoping to return to the airport, but this time they won't be racing on the runway.
Roger Haggerty, the president of the Alberni Valley Drag Racing Association (AVDRA) told the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District (ACRD) board on Wednesday, March 12 that the group is hoping to build a permanent facility for drag racing "in and around" the Alberni Valley Regional Airport.
Drag racers previously used the airport for their annual 鈥淭hunder in the Valley鈥� event, but this contract was terminated by the ACRD back in 2015 when the airport was expanded.
Since then, the AVDRA has been looking at building a permanent facility somewhere in the Alberni Valley for their annual drag racing event. They had previously looked at the former Link Mill site, owned by Mosaic Forest Management, but Haggerty says negotiations were unsuccessful.
"[Regional district] staff has helped us mitigate many obstacles and has helped us in bringing all the parties together with the idea to build a facility in and around the airport lands," said Haggerty. This new facility, he said, would not use the airport runway and would have "zero impact" on airport operations.
Haggerty asked the ACRD board to approve funding in the 2025 budget that would allow ACRD staff to continue working with drag racers on this project.
鈥淲e have the support of the community, as you may have seen by the many decals and posters displayed around town,鈥� he said. He added that the AVDRA has received 鈥渉undreds鈥� of letters of support from people in the Alberni Valley, as well as from people out of town.
In the past, said Haggerty, the Thunder in the Valley drag races have brought an economic impact of between 1.2 million and 1.7 million dollars to the Alberni Valley.
鈥淚 think with today鈥檚 inflation, that would be very substantial,鈥� said Haggerty. "I think it will be a huge win for the town."
A funding allocation for 300 hours of staff time has already been included in this year's budget, which is scheduled to be adopted on March 26.
Haggerty also hinted that the AVDRA is planning an event for Aug. 8-10 of this year, although he could not share any details about this.
