by Joshua Wells
THE Ultimate Karting Experience (TUKE) has had a ‘productive’ meeting with officers from the City of Whittlesea as the embattled organisation fights to keep its doors open past August.
While nothing is set in stone, Wollert could become the new home for a go kart facility after the council advised the owners land could become available.
TUKE owner Joseph Taormina recently revealed to the Whittlesea Review he would have to relocate his go kart track to another region if the shire could not provide a suitable site to move to.
“The meeting was productive. They wanted to chat about what we want to do and gave us a few places to look at,” Mr Taormina said.
“Wollert has a new precinct we can look at, there is a good property but we need investigative work… we have been here for a long time and want to stay.”
Mr Taormina said it would cost about $4 million to completely build a new track at a different site but costings are not a stumbling block for the TUKE.
After developers purchased TUKE’s South Morang block, the business was told to shut up shop by August – prompting the owners to begin a search for a new site.
City of Whittlesea Advocacy, Communications and Economic Development manager Sean McManus said the officers are working with TUKE as best they can.
“Council supports a wide range of businesses and can provide advice on appropriate locations for business relocations and help connect business owners with property owners and real estate agents,” he said.
“Ultimately it is up to the individual business to identify an appropriate site and to negotiate with a landowner to lease or purchase a site that is suitable to their needs and meets planning requirements.
“We have advised TUKE that industrial land does exist in Wollert and we understand the owner is investigating his options. We can also connect the owner to real estate agents and are happy to answer any questions he has about planning regulations and the like.”
