City Stadium, Norwich facts for kids

The City Stadium was a special place in Norwich where people watched exciting greyhound races. It was located on Sprowston Road and was a popular spot for many years. This stadium was one of several places in Norwich where greyhound racing took place.

Building the City Stadium

The City Stadium in Norwich around 1950.

The City Stadium was built in 1939. It was located north of the city centre, near the Sprowston Road and Mousehold Lane junction. There was a large wooded area nearby called Mousehold Heath.

The stadium was easy for people from the busy Sprowston housing area to reach. It was the fourth greyhound track to open in Norwich. Before it, there were tracks like The Firs Stadium, Boundary Park Stadium, and Thorpe Greyhound Track.

Opening Day Excitement

Even though World War II was starting, the large City Stadium opened its doors on 25 July 1939. The opening event was a huge success! Nearly ten thousand people came to watch the races.

Important people like Mr B Cannell and Mr F.Pine helped open the stadium. They used a special electric totalisator to show the betting odds. The very first race winner was a greyhound named Grangemore Lad. He won by four lengths, and his odds were 5–2.

What the Track Was Like

Track Features and Size

The City Stadium track was known for being quite small and sharp. It was 322 yards around, which made it the smallest greyhound track in Britain! The turns were well-banked, meaning they were tilted to help the dogs run smoothly.

An automatic watering system kept the track in perfect condition all year. Races were run over different distances: 400, 555, and 715 yards. The stadium used an 'Inside McWhirter Trackless' hare system. This was a mechanical hare that moved around the track for the dogs to chase.

Technology and Facilities

The stadium also had ray timing and photo finish technology. This helped to accurately record race times and decide close finishes. The main grandstand and club were located along the home straight.

The hare control and judges' box were opposite the finish line. The members' club was a large, modern room. It had a fully licensed bar and a buffet for snacks. Joining the club cost £1 and 1 shilling per year.

Parking and Kennels

There were two entrances and car parks for visitors. One car park was opposite the main stand. The other was between turns three and four of the track.

The racing kennels, where dogs stayed on race days, were on the fourth bend. The main kennels, which housed 200 resident dogs, were on the first bend. Exercising paddocks for the dogs stretched from these kennels around the second bend.

Changes Over Time

After Boundary Park stadium closed in 1962, Arthur Rising became the Racing Manager (RM) at City Stadium. The previous RM, Mr D.Pine, became the General Manager and Director of Racing.

At that time, the main track trainers were Speechley and Ashley. The race distances also changed to 333, 400, and 555 yards. Races were held twice a week, on Tuesday and Saturday evenings.

Sudden Closure

The end of the City Stadium came as a big surprise to many. Race schedules had already been advertised for Tuesday, 10 August 1971. However, the public was suddenly told that the Tuesday night racing was cancelled.

The stadium announced it would close right away. This meant the very last race meeting had taken place just a few days before, on Saturday, 7 August 1971. The land where the stadium stood was sold and soon turned into new houses.

Track Records