Construction of Albany Motorsport Park motocross track set to start this year after appointment of contractor

Work is expected to start this year on the Albany Motorsport Park motocross track after the City of Albany awarded the construction contract to Phoenix Civil at a special meeting last week. The civil construction company’s tender was ranked the highest by the City’s evaluation panel out of the six tenders submitted for the project, from five separate companies. All five applicants were able to claim the maximum Buy Local Policy reduction due to their companies being based locally. Great Southern Motorplex Group chair Theo Newhouse said work on the ground had been a long time coming. “I’ve been at it for five years and in that time we’ve done so many studies and so many reports to get through those steps which have to be done with any major development,” he said. “It’s always good to see actual physical work take place because that’s an exciting time. “From the Albany Motorcycle Club’s point of view, they’re all extremely excited because now they actually see they are going to get their own motocross track.” Phoenix Civil will be contracted to build the motocross track and develop the four-wheel-drive training area at the same time. The motorcycle club has been without a home track for a decade after Miniup Park was closed in 2012. “The members of the club are still very loyal and still waiting,” Mr Newhouse said. “But when they got the tick of approval the other night they were in raptures.” “It’s all weather dependent, but I believe we’ll have it (the motocross track) operating by about mid-next year.” In June, council approved a 20-year community lease for 138ha in Drome to Albany Motorsport Venue Inc. The City’s 2022-23 budget, approved in July, shows more than $7.1 million has been allocated to the development of the motorsport park. Initial plans include the motocross precinct, the 4WD driver training and ATV precinct, and a precinct for a 3.5km racetrack, which has since been revised to a shorter 3.25km track due to the proximity of trees. Mr Newhouse said the racetrack was being designed by a Perth consultant with support from a UK company which specialises in racetrack design. He said the track would be in three modules — a shorter north circuit for amateur racing and driver training, a south circuit more suitable for club events, and the link between them for the full 3.25km for major events. “We did our 30 per cent design review last week and we’re quite happy with the way they are progressing,” Mr Newhouse said. “So we’re still going through the design process and that won’t be finished until about February or March next year. We can then put tenders out and start looking at construction.”