No spectators for start at Grand River

Centre Wellington, ON – Grand River Raceway formally announces that it will resume racing in Step One; however, spectators will be watching online from the comfort and safety of their homes. It is estimated that live racing will resume on Monday, June 14.

In light of the recent “Roadmap to Reopen” announcement by the Ontario government guiding the gradual opening of businesses and non-essential services, racetracks in Ontario will have the ability to reopen in Step One. Racing will resume without spectators and with physical distancing measures in place for everyone at the track. 

“This is a very similar start to the 2020 season,” reflects Jamie Martin, Director of Operations at Grand River Raceway. “Last year we worked hard to keep our team and race participants safe and this year we are prepared and committed to do the same”. 

Katie Giddy, Director of Hospitality, Sales and Marketing adds, “We appreciate that the last year has been a challenging one for many, and we certainly look forward to welcoming people back to the track, but in the short term we have launched a new website to provide a way to access the highlights of a visit from their home.”

Featured up front and center are access to racing schedules, watching livestream and replays, and the ability to download the latest programs. Online betting contests will be available every Monday, Wednesday and Friday race night, and younger fans can find activities to download in the NEIGHbourhood. For Horsepeople racing at the track, there is a dedicated section with up-to-date protocols, as well as training and qualifying information.

All seasons the races will be broadcast live in both High and Standard Definition, and can be found on the Grand River Raceway website, Facebook, and YouTube channel. Qualifiers will also be live streamed to view from home.

The team at Grand River Raceway certainly hope this won’t be the only option for long as, in alignment with the reopening plan, spectators will be welcomed back to the track in Step 2 of the plan, noting this is expected at a reduced capacity. 

From Grand River Raceway