Hi, just checking last Saturday, this Saturday Boys & Girls Club, so is this the spot every Saturday or is this just temporary?
If this is the spot, how much is it per night, was it cheaper then Sooke?
Sooke Community Hall (Gym Size) was $100.00 Total Per night. PS, places near to buy food, coffee, etc., and ample parking.
How much is racing per week?
Thanks anyone for the info!!!!
i herd its about 100$ /night. there is a gas station just a minute walk up the street to get a pop or icecream, chips etc. the parking isnt as bad as peple were expecting, i think this was a better choice for racing because im pretty shure there wouldnt be as many people racing, if it was all the way out in sooke. me and my cousin brian wouldnt be racing if it was out there
B&G is definitely more expensive than Sooke. IROCC is willing to pay a premium to race in a more central location though. We learned this three years ago when we moved to the Colwood Park n' Ride for summer racing and our club went from 10 members to 35 members. Sooke may be better in every way than the B&G club, but unfortunately that does not outweigh the location factor. So far this winter we've set attendance records for winter racing each night we've been at B&G. We had 29 racers the first night, and 31 racers last night.
Here's the cost breakdown:
B&G costs $175 per night. With insurance costs (applicable anywhere we race), and consumables (duct tape being the main consumable during winter racing) each night of racing costs IROCC about $200.
Racing costs are: $5 for kids 12 and under, $10 for people under 19, and $15 for people 19 and over. These race fees have been the same for the last six to eight years. That said, if we continue to see these awesome turnouts this year, then there is the *possibility* of reducing the fees slightly.
Keep in mind that without the current race fee structure, IROCC would have none of the important infrastructure that makes our racing environment so professional:
- Nice place to race
- Top of the line computer scoring system ($2000)
- PA System ($2500)
- Enclosed trailer for carrying our equipment ($1500)
- Generator ($550)
- All the equipment (perimeter walls, hoses, corner dots, drivers stand, etc...) that we use to build our summer tracks. ($1000)
- All the equipment (carpet, walls, corner dots, driver stand, etc....) that we use to build our winter tracks. ($2000)
- The ability to have club batteries, motors, and tires on hand at each race meet.
I hope this helps to explain our decision to race at B&G, and also, the math behind the race fees.
Blake
Blake, one expense you overlooked was the $50-$60 in door prizes we give away each week after completion of cleanup at the hall.
Well you can't compair numbers as this is the only place (2x) you have raced this winter and you are compairing it to Central Saanich. I can tell you right now Cody will not be going once per week and he missed last night as well as Tyler and Joe so there is -3 from last week if we are talking numbers.
I just don't know how the decision was made when we were TOLD this is were your racing. I don't recall taking a vote and my vote would have been Sooke.!!!!!!
well there wasnt a vote............it was decided by the powers that be!................just so its known i think it was a wise decision........sorry that cody and tyler and joe wont be able to make it every week but as a club im sure by last nites attendance its clear the club as a majoroty are happy with the location.....................i would have drivin to sooke to race if i had to but why would you want to if you dont have too
The question that I have is this; Are we still entertaining Perks field house as an option in the new year? Some of the reasons I ask are, alittle more flexibilty in hours, better parking, better lighting and yes alittle more convienient for those coming from Sooke.(just a note I do not live in the sooke area, LA all the way). I know at Perks we would have been bumped a couple of weekends up until January, then after that the saturdays would be ours. Then for next year we could book now and we could start racing in Oct. as usual.
Again I have had a good time both night at the Big boys club, so this is just a question of the "powers that be".
RYY
Laurie,
The decision to race at the B&G club was made by the IROCC Executive. We do our absolute best to direct the club in a forward direction. The first paragraph in my last post explains the reasoning we used to make the decision regarding winter location.
We certainly do appreciate the time you (and many others) took to try and find us a winter home this year. In the end we had several options of which B&G and Sooke were the most attractive. B&G won out because of its central location.
Obviously there is no location that will suit absolutely everyone. We have racers living everywhere from Sidney to Sooke. So, a compromise was made and we selected downtown Victoria as the most central location for all.
Did you know that we have several racers that commute from Sidney? Andrew Blondeau, Warren White, Phil Cady, and Chris Morrison are all in the same boat as you. It would be hard to ask them to travel to Sooke each Saturday night, just as it would be hard to ask you to travel to Sidney. Once again, downtown Victoria is the best compromise for location.
Blake
Ryan,
Pearkes has no dates available to us until January 2006. Most of the Saturdays in 2006 are available, but only until 11PM - just the same as B&G. Pearkes is also much more expensive and has no storage. Finally, we're at the threat of getting bumped from Pearkes here and there as they get a lot of "big ticket" customers that we cannot compete with.
That said, it sure looks like an awesome facility, so I wouldn't rule out the possibility just yet.
Blake
"I know at Perks we would have been bumped a couple of weekends up until January, then after that the saturdays would be ours. "
Ryy, we were, as far as I know, and I was there, ever GUARANTEED anything for next year at Pearkes!
There were never any guarantees at Pearkes, that during or after January 2006 we couldn't or wouldn't be bumped! Trade shows have way more money to spend on venue loactions than IROCC has. What we were told is they have 3 or 4 BIG events at Pearkes before Christmas, but it doesn't mean that they wouldn't bump us if someone was to offer Saanich $2,000 or $3,000 a day for the Field House.
"Then for next year we could book now and we could start racing in Oct. as usual. "
Ryy, I don't know where you hear this either, but as far as I know, from being there talking with the people at Pearkes, it isn't the case at all.
Pearkes has these Trade Shows booked a year in advance.
There is not a snow ball's chance in hell of our little IROCC bumping any of these "money machines" from Pearkes schedule!
You also have to remember, IF we did use the Field House, we would be sharing it with the lawn bowlers as well, we wouldn't have the run of the place.
Pearkes is also much more expensive than the B&G's Club! Much More!
So as far as I can see, for the price, we've got a damn good thing here at the B&G's Club, and I for one would like to thank Blake for doing the leg work, and making the final decision to make it possible!
Regards,
Nick
I would also like to echo Blake's thanks to Cody's Mum, Laurie, for doing a heck of a lot of leg work and scrounging around trying to find IROCC a new Winter racing home!
But as we've seen, "Location!!, Location!!, Location!!" doesn't just hold true to only successful "Retail Store" sales!
Location "IS" everything!
The B&G's Club's "Central" location will be a boon to IROCC's growth. As Blake pointed out about the location of IROCC's outdoor track in Colwood, we've picked up a great deal of new members, and spurred interest from many more people simply because of the location.
I personally think being downtown and close to BC Shaver and Hobbies will work out great, as people will hear about IROCC and make enquiries as to where we race.
If for example you say to these people:
"Oh yeah, there is a Club in town that races radio controlled cars called IROCC. And they race just up the street every Saturday night".
Versus,
"OH yeah, there is a Club in town that races radio controlled cars called IROCC, they race out in Sooke every Saturday night".
Which location do you think we'd see more people showing more interest in finding?
IROCC's Executive ALWAYS has the best interests of the Club at heart.
We may not please everyone all the time, but we do strive to do our best. It's not an easy thing to do, but we do try, and for the most part, we do a fine job!
We only want to see IROCC as a Club get better and better, and if I do say so myself, I think IROCC is as good, if not better, than any other time in its' 15 or so year history!
And I can say without a shadow of a doubt, that we should ALL be very proud of ourselves as IROCC members, that we have a R/C Car Racing Club that is second to none!
Regards,
Nick
I think its also important to note that the Boys and Girls club is a crucial part of the support community in Victoria (and surrounding areas) for.... well.... boys and girls! We have an excellent opportunity to also provide a mutually benificial arrangement by finacially supporting the B&G club. Both of our organizations are community centered. What a perfect match!
This is a fantastic way for two community groups to support each other in a positive growing way. I hope this works into a more permanat solution for all of us. I'm thrilled to know that part of my fees go towards supporting kids in Victoria!
Hello all, very well put.
Nick Thank you for the clarification on Pearkes, I was only going off of what was being said way back when we were sourcing out a location.
I agree with Blake in my experiences you will never please everybody, in the decisions made by and for the club as long as the whole club is considered then we really can not ask for much more than that. We could spend our entire lives trying to please everyone else around us and never end up with eternal peace.
My question and concern with the whole thing is.........will a watched pot ever boil? More importantly if Life is like a box of chocolates and you never know what you get until you try why is it more people do not read the damn map provided, that way you are never going to be dissatisfied. I also believe that I am also a glasses is 1/2 full vrs 1/2 empty kind of guy, you know the grass isn't always greener on the other side. In life there are so many variables that by the time you think you have come to a conclusion, the original variables have been replaced by something newer, bigger, better and faster at a cheaper rate. So in this case if the eary bird slept in, who would actually gets to eat the worm. Or worse yet, would the worm be disappointed to crawl out of his hole and see only his shadow. More interesting than that is, if he saw his shadow would we still get six more weeks of winter.
Again well put all, and please don't knock it until you have tried it...because if thirty is mid life and forty is over the hill, what are you when you reach fifty?
PS did anyone reply or not reply, notifying me of a PM I did or did not read yet?
RYY
Excellent points Kurk!
In fact, down the road, there is nothing to say we couldn't invite some of those very same kids we are indirectly and directly supporting to come out and watch our Club race! Could you imagine 50 or 100 screaming kids cheering on their favorite car!
OR, there is nothing to stop us from organizing, say, a Fire Fighters' Race Day, where we invite Firemen/women from next door and from Fire Halls around the city to come out and race each other for their favorite Charity! Maybe the local Cops would be interested in doing something similar!
As you said, it's a Community based facility we are using, it would be nice for IROCC to be able to give back in some measurable way, don't you think?
And Ryy, no problem.
There was so much going on there for a while as we scrambled to find the Club a new facility, it would have been weird for there NOT to have been various rumours floating around!
And you're right, no matter what one does, you can never please everyone.
The rest of your commentary was really funny....
I'll be watching for worm watching for their shadows from now on! LOL
And no, I didn't send or receive a PM either :-)
Regards,
Nick
Quote from: "WhoDoYouThink"
...OR, there is nothing to stop us from organizing, say, a Fire Fighters' Race Day, where we invite Firemen/women from next door and from Fire Halls around the city to come out and race each other for their favorite Charity! Maybe the local Cops would be interested in doing something similar!
As you said, it's a Community based facility we are using, it would be nice for IROCC to be able to give back in some measurable way, don't you think?
.....
Regards,
Nick
What an awesome idea! It would take some time and effort to get it organized. We would have to provide loaners which would be the biggest hurdle. Maybe we could run old TC3s or something like that - something that it won't matter as much as to its tweek, etc. Not only would it be fun for the Firefighters/Police and the spectators but it would be excellent exposure for the club not to mention giving quite a few people a "taste" of racing!
A great idea and very creative. Way to go Nick - I knew we kept you around for a reason :)
Kurk,
Quoted as saying, "Maybe we could run old TC3s or something like that - something that it won't matter", just another example of your well trained use of subliminal messaging to try and push for 1/10 scale indoor racing. You sneaky old fox keep up the good work, and now with you on the exec. there maybe hope left yet.
RYY
Hehe... after seeing Jarod's "Lead Sled" out there this weekend I wouldn't think anyone would want to run 1/10th scale ;)
PS - it was subliminal till you went and told everyone.... now to plan "B"....
Hey Guys
I think that the B&G club is a great place. From the possiblity of going to pearks. Why. It's not much diffenrence in location. All I can say is "It's Heated wahooo". So far I like it better than the sanich fair grounds. Especially when the one day we get snow. I also like that the pits are right beside the track. that way you can watch the racing and work on your car.
Hey Blake and the rest of the exc. How about another raffle this winter. and get a proper permit. See if we can set up a both in Mayfair and the other malls. I know Iwouldn't mind wasting my time selling ticket. Maybe we could sell a couple of different cars. One for summer and winter and one for winter. Will were selling the tickets we could wrench on our cars or pretend too. as a display. Maybe make a video and playit also. I'm quite sure we would make a killing. and maybe get some new members too. And have the draw just before x-mas, Plus also have the option of taking the cash value. Sorry about the long post brain desided to work for a sec. :D
Hi, all.
I, too, initially had mixed feelings about the B&G club due to its location when I remembered how everyone came out to Saanich last year. I've found the drive into town to be relatively effortless and the traffic has been minimal. I have to say, though, that Blake was spot on in the earlier posting. I just couldn't see myself travelling from Lands End (Ferry) to Sooke. It would be over an hour each way and we heard from Jamie what that was like for him in the winter. It would be easier in smoe ways for me to race in Richmond or Vancouver. Add to this any interest we might have in hosting an event or so over the winter and we'd have less of a turnout than would otherwise be possible.
Phil
I have to agree with Phil. I remember Last year a couple of guy's came down from up island. The B&G would be mush easier to find than having them going all the way's to Sooke.
All,
With the tight scheduling (in by 3:30 earliest and out by 11:00 latest)in the B & G club is there a possibility of running a speed weekend or such?
RYY
Hey Ryan,
Yes, the possibility does exist. On long weekends the wheelchair basketball people do not use the gym. So, we'd likely be able to get the gym all day on Saturday, and hopefully all day on Sunday.
I've broached this subject with B&G and they said that they'd do everything they can to try and accommodate us should we decide to host a winter trophy race.
Blake
Cool, Blake.
I understand that there is a major Canadian race at Rast Cats in Toronto in January some time that a number of the Vancouver folks are planning to attend. Other than that, if I can help out at all, please let me know. Ciao.