Langley Speedway Restoration - Part 2
 

Some of you may remember my Long Lost Local Racetracks thread from a couple years ago. There was one track that I was particularly interested in, considering I live only a couple minutes away from the remnants of it: Langley Action Park Raceway.

For many years, it sat untouched and poorly maintained until recently when the Langley Raceway Historical group decided to, well... attempt to preserve the remains.

Here's what it looked like back in summer of 05:

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...y/DSC01638.jpg

And here are the updated photos:


The only entrance to this track is down a 'No Exit' street that has seen better years.... possibly back when Cleopatra was still ruling over Egypt.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...y/DSC01591.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...y/DSC01590.jpg


Here is a newly cleared section at the top of the hill. This stairway was once overgrown with brush and whatnot. The cleared section to the left of the stairs is where the seats used to be held (as well as the right side, but that's yet to be uncovered).

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...y/DSC01565.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...y/DSC01566.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...y/DSC01569.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...y/DSC01567.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...y/DSC01568.jpg

The track itself seems to be in decent shape, assuming you ignore half a dozen gigantic potholes and places where tree roots are starting to push up the concrete.

The biggest part that's damaged, however, is the barrier.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...y/DSC01570.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...y/DSC01587.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...y/DSC01586.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...y/DSC01578.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...y/DSC01573.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...y/DSC01571.jpg

A section in the middle of one of the straights has an opening that's half concrete, half dirt now. However, it appeared to lead to what could have been a staging area at one point:

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...y/DSC01580.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...y/DSC01582.jpg

Now, sadly, it holds the remnants of years gone by.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...y/DSC01581.jpg

Damn, thats like going to visit the remenants of the old artillery mounts in Jericho.

Blast from the past.

It would be really nice to see something like that get up and moving again.

what a nice track... so sad to see something like this rotting away... hope it gets restored soon and put in use...

This is a sick thread, thank you SOOOO much for sharing and thanks again for your thread in late-2005, one of my all time fav RS threads. :)

is there anyway we can 'adopt' this place
put some spare time inand talk to someone about holding events here or sumin?

Hahah. Wow. I just checked out the Wikipedia file on the Langley Speedway and someone jacked my old '05 photos for it.

Found this picture online:

http://www.langleyspeedway.ca/site_c...s_1024x768.jpg

As far as I know, there are currently no plans in the works to open the track up to public (or even private use). It has been opened a couple of times in the past year to basically hold old hot rods for events such as the Langley Cruise-In and for when representatives of the GVRD tour Campbell Valley Park.

I'm going shoot off an email to the LSHS President about seeing what can be done in the future with this but I wouldn't be holding my breath.

There was a car show here a few years back that I actually attended. The track is really in ok shape, quite suprisingly. I'd assume since the GVRD has given control of the track to the historical society, you would have to conact them to get anything started. Would be sweet to have an event there tho.

is this place big enough, say... to hold a summer meet? :p

:shhh:

^ heh. i actually wouldn't mind helping out the place in the sense of manual labour and junk... like clearing the land and building new bleachers and stuff like that.

it could be a cool RS thing... get some volunteers out to help get this place back in order for a day of use ...

*cue 80s movie montage*

makes me sad to see whats left of it now after seeing the picture of what it use to look like in the past. btw that slurpee gets around :p

Gotta be "Eye of the Tiger!" :D

As strange as it sounds, it's pretty much like walking onto a battlefield that's long since been grown over (only, somewhat less so, emotionally). It's one of those things where you know tens of thousands of people spent time having fun just a handful of years ago, only to now have it pretty much taken over by nature again and virtually forgotten.

And, yes.... I :love: slurpees.

drive me there and i'd help

where is this track?

Looks like a cool place to sneak a go-kart or those mini-bikes!

looks liek a good lil track for driftin:P

hey where is this in langley? langley is a 8 min drive from my house and it would be something cool to check out one day this weekend.

208th St and 16th Avenue. Go South on 200th until you cross over 16th. It's a 'no-through' road but the entrance is probably about half a mile South of 16th street.

hey, let us know if the society needs labourers to help fill in the pot holes in exchange for track time!

We used to hang out there all the time back in the 90's.
It was a great place to go, as long as you were quiet getting in.

Good pics Lomac.
Maybe one day we'll see each other wandering through there. Be sure to weak clothes though, I'll have the kids with me.
:D

although your kids are short... they're not the gay black midgets from outer space that he fancies.