Hello,
It has been a long time since I have posted an update. Work has not been halted, it was a summer so - no sitting at the PC screen at my spare time
.
I am getting now ready for the next round of updates, specifically - scanning the RX track.
I am writing here on a different and more serious matter though.
Biķernieku Kompleksā Sporta Bāze (Bikernieki Complex Sports Base) or "Bikernieki race track" as we know it is on a verge of being destroyed. Once again!
Bikernieki race track was literary "hand built" in 60s by racing enthusiasts (and building a race track in Soviet times was not an easy task), and it was kept "alive" by one of the original designers Eduards Kiope until his death in 2007. In around 2010, race track was in such a poor condition, there was no events happening anymore because of safety concerns. It was a moment I realized - I had to re-create it digitally in order to save it for the next generations in case it is lost forever.
Thankfully racing enthusiasts in "state road safety directorate" bought it and declared its status as "national sports base" which means that the race track belongs to the citizens of Latvia.
The thing is - parts of the race track are "sitting" on private lands owned by powerful and rich individuals and now - 10 years later they want their land back. Three of the land owners have just started the process of cancelling the "national sports base" status of the race track. I mean, I get why - their land is in the most densely populated area in Riga - capital of Latvia. If they succeed, in few years there will be malls, office or apartment buildings just where the legendary race track used to be...
So I am asking for your help - to sign an online petition so the government notices that Bikernieki is an important venue not only to its citizens and local racing community, but also the whole world. I`ve seen the amazing responses of the reviewers of virtual track and just now real race track is gaining recognintion in Drift and RX world.
I don`t want to see such a unique and historic race track to disappear. It has a special place in my and thousands of others hearts.
the public petition is in latvian (or russian) but you can use google translate to check that it is indeed a "legit". this is only a "public" petition, so it is just a initial push towards real steps. In short what the request translates to:
"We request that the state dispose the land from private owners and eventually arrange the property rights of the BKSB as the property of national significance status for the development and development of the land."
https://manabalss.lv/i/1398
I really wish I was not asking you this and I hope you will understand.
To strike a chord - here is me in ~1988 in Bikernieki
and a video showing the birth of Bikernieki (notice it is before "Ring of speed" is created):
edit:
seems like signing the thing for non-locals is difficult
you need a bank card..
