If Brock Leitner, a motocross competitor from Summerland is to advance in his sport, he needs a training facility close to home.
At present, Leitner, 18, must travel to a track in Kamloops for training during part of the year, a journey of more than two hours in each direction.
While a Kelowna facility is much closer, it is not open during some of the times when Leitner must train.
He and his family are now working to set up a private motocross track on a property in the Meadow Valley area.
While this provides a solution, it is an involved and expensive process.
The cost of the land and the costs involved in developing and maintaining a track are significant.
Leitner’s goal is to become a Canadian champion in his sport.
Reaching this level of excellence will require plenty of dedication and training. Without a nearby course, it will be impossible for him to stay here while he pursues this goal.
The private course proposed for the Leitner family’s Meadow Valley property will allow him to stay here while he trains in his sport.
Without the course, he would need to relocate to be closer to an appropriate facility.
This is a solution which works for his situation right now.
However, if local and regional interest in motocross grows, it may be necessary to consider setting up a public course, either in Summerland or elsewhere within this region.
Leitner is demonstrating that this area is able to produce top-level competitors in motocross, but in order to excel, he and others in his sport need to have a training facility available in our valley.