Track trashed

Mad Monday is a term often used to refer to the traditional end-of-season celebrations for footy players. But it appears celebrations went a little too  far in Young when racing club members, neighbours and council workers awoke to the destruction at the grounds on Monday morning.

Cans and broken bottles were left strewn across the oval, racing track and under-shelter, and a fire was still  smoking, destroying the tar below. 

An eyewitness said neighbours told them the first grade Young Cherrypickers were partying at the oval that night and the sound of smashing bottles could be heard at around 3am.

However, the incident was never reported to police.

Council workers were left to clean up, being forced to call in their street sweeper to remove the broken glass on the racetrack poses a danger to the dogs.

“This is how they treat the town. After everything council does for them, this is the thanks they get,” the witness said.

“They do it every year but this is the first time they’ve gone onto the oval and smashed bottles.”

President of the Young Greyhound Racing Club Greg Prest didn’t believe it was the local players at first, saying this year the ‘Pickers had been “relatively good” and that they often had kids roaming up there and building fires. That was until neighbours confirmed otherwise.

“On the odd occasion they’ve run on the track but it’s just not the rugby league players, it’s other sport bodies too,” he said.

“All we ask for is a bit of respect and for people not to run on it… the disappointing part is nobody contacted the police.”

Greg – who made a plea for sporting clubs to look after one another at Monday night’s Young Sports Advisory Committee meeting – said the biggest risk now was dogs splitting their paws on the glass.

Club members and volunteers from Riding for the Disabled did a thorough search and clean of the track and oval after council workers left on Monday, raking up any missed glass.

“I won’t know [if we’ve missed any] until a dog comes off with a split foot and that’ll tell us where it is,” Greg said.

“All the work on the track, we do it ourselves… we buy the sand ourselves, lay it ourselves, that’s the disappointing part.”

Greg’s wife Vicki Prest, who is also heavily involved in the club, was far from impressed.

“Nothing is getting through as far as charges go, therefore the ratepayers have to pay. The rugby league club should be fined, the danger they’ve put those dogs in, it’s ridiculous,” she said.

“They just don’t care… it takes hours to clean up that track.”

When Vicki attempted to call the police, she was told council had to report it because the oval was owned by council.

She’s now writing a letter to every councillor to call on the police to get involved.

Young Cherrypickers Rugby League president Steve Woolford confirmed there were players at the oval on Sunday night.

“As to what’s happened and to what extent, I don’t know but we are investigating it.”

But he said it was hard to pinpoint what happened when no witnesses could tell him who was involved.

“If they did it, and I’m not saying they did, we’re going to do what needs to be done… so they can be dealt with by the law.

“We’re not going to let this go, it’s not on. We’re not condoning that sort of behaviour. It’s probably one or two individuals who would have spoilt it for everyone else.”