Crystal Palace Help

[jhn68]

Hi guys, I regularly frequent the track at Crystal Palace. Some time ago myself and some other nitro heads were told that it would be off limits until the Sports Centre and the RC Club had sorted there differences out.
Practically all of us continued to use it at weekends only, now I know some of you are going to say well you should of stayed away and you maybe right. Although as you guys know to well places to run the cars are limited and the lure of a track is far to great to resist.
As it stands the club that used to run Crystal Palace have gone and as I understand it from various stories there gone for good.
My recent visit being yesterday was cut short by staff and I was asked to leave. On chatting to the two guys they hinted that the current management have no interest in the track and looked more likely they were going to flatten it and turn it into car parking space. For me it would be a shame and for many others to destroy something that has been there as far as I know since 1982.
So before I bore you anymore I have question, does anyone have any ideas on how to try and keep this track alive.

I am going to contact the local council and paper to see if it sparks any interest but if anyone knows of other avenues to try please shout out.

Cheers

John

[pro4nut]

Do you know which council covers it?
Also do the council own the land?

[jhn68]

I believe its bromley council but i'm not sure whether they own the land. I'm going to try and find out tomorrow.

[teamxray]

the ground is owned by three councils john Bromley, Lewisham and Croydon the track been there since 1975 as Ted Longshaw paid for it to be laid back then the club own web site does not exsits no more and i belive they owe rent on the grounds (dont hold me to that) thats why the council are not intrested anymore and yes there are plans to flatten the track for more car parking area

hope this helps john

[jhn68]

If it does go there is going to be some sad faces.........

[teamxray]

Ivan the ex club chairman i beleive does not want to do anything about the track no more

[jhn68]

It's such a shame, from a selfish point of view it as its local to me. And also as i grew up 5 mins away from the track so i remember seing the cars run there as a kid.
I guess from your replies there's very little chance of it being saved.

[teamxray]

you can only try john you never know your luck

[jhn68]

Will do, God loves a tryer lol

[Neil Skull]

I have been following this story for some time.

As far as i can tell you need to get the club organised with lot of members. I dont know what happened to Ivan but i know a before the work started he was trying to get numbers signed up to the club.

I would suggest you contact the council and if they argue about not enough people being part of the club then just give a shout on here.
We could just sign up as being club members wheter we actually get there or not. Get the track to stay alive any way if we need a big meeting there lets do it just to save one of our precious on road tracks its gotta be worth it.

[jhn68]

Hopefully i'll get something back off my e-mails. One of my concerns was Crystal Palace's management's claims that the club was paying in the region of £5000 per year. I currently don't see enough interest to generate that sought of money if thats what its going to take to keep it alive.
I fully agree with you about keeping it alive though, it's been there to long just to be flattened for parking space.

[jhn68]

Hi, just a bit of an update. Bromley council have passed my e-mail onto the park ranger, not quite sure how that will pan out. But the local papaer have agreed to have a look into.
A step forward all be it a little one.

[jhn68]

As i thought the Park Ranger was less than helpful but hey ho. Better news though the local rag has been in touch and they are going to poke around and see what they can find out.
I'll post again with some more news later hopefully.