The town of Saint-Pie, Que., about 70 kilometres east of Montreal, is drawing the ire of motorsports enthusiasts who fear a recent decision by municipal council will mean the end of the road for an iconic racetrack.
Earlier this week, the council passed a resolution for a land reserve encompassing the grounds of the Sanair speedway, to potentially build a high school.
"It's scary," said race-car driver and instructor Bertrand Godin. "It's scary to know that, because Sanair has been there for 57 years."
The site, he said, has everything, from a drag racing strip, to a road track and a tri-oval. "It's fantastic."
The track, located in the Montérégie, has hosted racing greats like Gilles Villeneuve in his Formula Ford days and numerous large-scale events like Nascar races.
Kevin Leduc, vice-president of the Sanair foundation, told Radio-Canada that Sanair is emblematic in the world of motorsports and continues to be used as a home track by people all around the province.
The mayor of Saint-Pie, Mario St-Pierre, acknowledged the importance of the track in the region's history, and understands why people might be upset.
He said, however, that the role of municipal council is to plan for the town's future development and that a high school is desperately needed.
The regional school service centre, known as the Centre de services scolaire de Saint-Hyacinthe (CSSSH) confirmed in an email to CBC that population growth in the area is putting pressure on its schools. It says that recently compiled data indicates that by 2034, there will be a shortage of nearly 2,400 high school spots in the region.
Fans outraged over uncertain future of historic Sanair racetrack
The nearby city of Saint-Hyacinthe, with a population of over 60,000 compared to just over 6,000 for Saint-Pie, already has several high schools on its territory.
"They weren't interested in providing land to the school service centre," St-Pierre said, adding that's why his town met with CSSSH officials and is evaluating different scenarios.
With a land reserve, municipalities are able to set aside land for future public use. St-Pierre reiterated it doesn't mean immediate expropriation.
He described a reserve as a legal planning tool for municipalities to protect the lots from speculation. So while there is no expropriation yet, it does remain a possibility in the next two to four years.
Leduc, the Sanair foundation's vice-president, said he was disappointed with the council's decision and would have liked to be warned ahead of time.
