The grandstand that stood at the Clinton Raceway is now gone after more than 50 years of use, but a new, accessible one will soon take its place.
Construction is underway for a new 400-person capacity grandstand, which management expects will be ready by spring.
"We're hoping for a good winter for working," said Ian Fleming, Clinton Raceway General Manager. "We're optimistic that we'll be open by April, and if we get a really good winter it could be earlier. You can't predict the weather so there's always a possibility we could run into some trouble, but we're not anticipating that."
Fleming said the reconstruction was needed for the old facility, to provide a better experience for all guests and workers.
"The number-one priority is it's going to be fully accessible," he said. "That was a big thing too, there was no way to get to the grandstand if you had mobility issues and the washrooms weren't as good as we'd like. So the whole facility, for employees and customers, will be fully accessible."
The new stands will be smaller, but offer bucket seats for all, instead of the bench-style seating in the upper section. There will also be an elevated patio at track level and elevators to improve accessibility.
Fleming said the total cost isn't finalized, but they have funding support from provincial groups.
"Just the grandstand alone is a couple million dollars. We're not sure what the patio area is going to cost until we get in and see how much soil we're going to have to take out," he said. "Ontario Racing is helping us and OLG... so we're very pleased with our support. It just sets us up for the future."