Community
5 June, 2025
Dalvui upgrades could prove a safe haven
THE Terang Harness Racing Club has completed upgrades to its community hub at the Silks Room, which the committee believes can be used during the best and worst of times.
The hub was considered to be the final area associated with the sweeping upgrades made at Dalvui Raceway over the past few years, headlined by a $2.2 million transformation of the stabling area under an expansive 100-stall complex.
The latest upgrades encompass the Silks Room which has been rejuvenated with the addition of a stainless-steel commercial kitchen and bar area.
The upgrading of the Silks Room to become a community hub area had been part of the original plans when the stable complex funding was handed down in 2021, but heightened costs associated with building during the COVID-19 pandemic chewed through cash reserves.
Despite resources running low, Mr O’Connor said the club had generously been supported by an anonymous sponsor to fund the remaining works.
“The last part of the stable project wasn’t fully funded so the Terang Harness Racing Club had to find quite a lot of funds,” he said.
“But we’ve now been able to complete the project.
“For the drivers and trainers, they can bring their horse to the track without needing to leave the undercover area except for the race itself.
“All the facilities are in the complex, so if the weather is cold or particularly hot they don’t need to leave the comfort.
“It’s pretty unusual for a harness racing club to have a facility that can accommodate all of that.”
An aspect of the upgrades to the Silks Room, which the club has always advocated for ,was a desire to see the space opened for the community in the event of a natural disaster.
The club was always mindful the upgrades had been made with a portion of taxpayer’s funds, so all options should be explored to ensure taxpayers saw the most benefit possible.
While the local recreation reserves remain the designated Bushfire Place of Last Resort for Terang and Noorat, Mr O’Connor said ensuring the hub would open as an evacuation point in the event of a disaster was a point of pride for the club.
“If there’s an emergency somewhere in the area, people can come and get protection because it’s quite fire resilient in terms of its surrounds – there’s nothing that going to burn,” he said.
“It’s also a place where people could congregate in shelter with facilities where food can be provided in safety.
“It’s a nice, big space where hundreds could gather in a safe environment.”
Mr O’Connor said the completion of the range of upgrades marked a significant turning point for the club, and thanked all those who had been integral in the process.
“It’s very satisfying, particularly for the past committee who put so much work in to it,” he said.
“The owners and trainers have contributed so heavily – something like this couldn’t have possibly been completed without local input.
“We’ve also been well supported by Dan Tehan and the Federal Government in addition to Martin Pakula (former Minister for Racing) and the Victorian Government.
“We were lucky the ducks aligned to get a project like this up – it would certainly be difficult to repeat.”
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