Long history of harness racing in Saint John may be nearing finish line
CBC
Wayne Hubbard is a fixture at Exhibition Park Raceway in Saint John.
He started going there as a youngster, "got hooked" on harness racing, and has been going there ever since.
"If you can't find me at home, find me here. It's just my second home."
He's just come off the track after a brief training session with his horse, Pickpocket Princess, which finished with a shampoo and rinse in the barn to remove any sweat and grime from her afternoon exercise.
His whole family is involved in harness racing, including his mother, who helps out in the raceway's canteen when she can.
So, it came as a shock when the horse owners received a notice saying the track's lease with the Exhibition Association would not be renewed.
The lease runs out Dec. 31.
For Hubbard's sister, Janice Hubbard, the news of the impending closure hit doubly hard.
"I just moved back home in March to be with my family," she said. "I was away in Ontario for 22 years and I wanted to come back to my family because we're all involved in harness [racing]."
She has four standardbreds here at the raceway, including Nannie Bernice, coming off a big win this past week in Summerside, P.E.I..
"A lot of people have jobs here and they have a racehorse because it's their hobby and that's what they like to do," Hubbard said.
"Myself, this is my bread and butter right here and that's why I raised my young horses and I have money invested and I want to see this place stay and I hope the right person takes over and makes it happen."
But that doesn't seem likely as things stand right now.
The Exhibition Association declined an interview request.
P.E.I.'s Public Schools Branch is looking for 50 substitute bus drivers, and it'll be recruiting at three job fairs on Saturday, June 8. The job fairs are located at the Atlantic Superstore in Montague, Royalty Crossing in Charlottetown, and the bus parking lot of Three Oaks Senior High in Summerside. All three run from 9 a.m. until noon. Dave Gillis, the director of transportation and risk management for the Public Schools Branch, said the number of substitute drivers they're hiring isn't unusual. "We are always looking for more. Our drivers tend to have an older demographic," he said.