Western Speedway in Langford, Western Canada's oldest speedway, shut down for good after its final race weekend in September 2022, and the land is being redeveloped. But the local car scene did not die with it. The weekly Broadmead Saturday night meetup in Saanich has become the heart of Victoria's car culture, and there are track days and shows still going across the region. If you are a car person thinking about buying on the island, here is where the scene lives now and what it means for where you buy.
What Actually Happened to Western Speedway?
Western Speedway opened in 1954 and ran for 68 years, making it Western Canada's oldest continuously operating speedway, and a real West Shore institution. Families went for stock car nights, the Race Car Parade, and the big Sunday swap meets. The property was sold in 2021, the track was renamed Westshore Motorsports Park for its final season, and it closed permanently after the last race weekend on September 17, 2022. The site in Langford has been slated for commercial and residential redevelopment ever since.
For locals it was a genuine loss, not just for racing but as a gathering place. The good news is the culture carried on. The old Sunday Swap and Shop market that used to run at the track found a new home in Colwood, and the informal meets that were always part of the scene stepped up to fill the gap. The speedway is gone, but the car community is not.
Where Do Car Fans Actually Meet Now?
The anchor of the modern scene is the Broadmead Saturday Night Car Meetup. On most nice Saturday evenings from around 6 p.m., the parking lot at the Canadian Tire in the Broadmead Village Shopping Centre at 801 Royal Oak Drive in Saanich fills with everything from vintage cruisers and muscle cars to imports and farm trucks. It is completely grassroots, free to wander, and family friendly, and it has become the place people actually go to talk cars on the island. If you only do one event, do this one.
Beyond Broadmead, there is a proper track option: Island Motorsport Circuit runs its cars and coffee days near Langford through the season, and their late-season events stretch into October, so check their calendar for the final date each year. In town, there is a casual Sunday late-morning Euro cars and coffee gathering at Oak Bay Marina. And downtown car culture carries on at the LightEmUp.TV rooftop shows at Mayfair, with a season finale on Sunday, October 4, 2026, that includes live music, food trucks, and family activities. Between the weekly Broadmead ritual and those seasonal shows, there is always somewhere to go.
Why the Broadmead Meet Matters for Buyers
Here is the real estate angle, and it is a good one. The Broadmead meet happens in Saanich, in the established East Saanich neighbourhoods around Royal Oak, and that tells you something about where the car community is rooted. For a buyer who actually wants to be part of that scene, living within a short drive of the meet matters more than you might expect. It is a weekly social calendar, not just a hobby, and being close to it changes how often you show up.
The bigger buying question for car people is always the garage. A project car needs a proper shop, not a carport, and the neighbourhoods that give you that space are generally on the West Shore and in Saanich rather than downtown. Royal Oak and the surrounding Saanich streets put you near the meet and often have the driveways and detached garages a hobby needs. Out toward Langford and Colwood you trade a longer drive to Broadmead for bigger lots and more room to work on cars at home.
What Should a Car Enthusiast Check When House Hunting?
- Garage dimensions and access. Measure the garage, not just count the stalls. A deep, wide, heated shop is the difference between a hobby you enjoy and a project you give up on. Check how the driveway handles a trailer too.
- Suite potential. This is where the car hobby and the mortgage helper meet. A property with room for a legal suite can carry more mortgage, which frees up budget for the workshop. Talk to your lender about how much suite income they will count.
- Strata rules. If you buy a townhome or condo, check the strata bylaws on working on vehicles, oil changes, and parking, because some strata buildings restrict it outright.
- Proximity to the scene. Decide whether you want to be near the Broadmead meet in Saanich or near the bigger West Shore lots, and let that guide your neighbourhood shortlist.
The Bottom Line on the Victoria Car Scene
Losing Western Speedway was a real blow to the West Shore, but it did not end the community. The Broadmead Saturday night meet is the new heart of the scene, the track days and rooftop shows keep the calendar busy into the fall, and the swap and shop tradition lives on in Colwood. If you are moving to the island with a project car or a weekend cruiser, there is a place for you here.
We help car people find homes that fit the hobby: the right garage, the room for a suite that helps pay for it, and a location that puts you close to the scene you actually want to be part of. Our guide to the kind of home car enthusiasts need in Greater Victoria walks through garages, workshops, and neighbourhoods in detail, and our events and car show calendar keeps track of what is coming up. When you are ready to find a place with a proper shop, book a call with us.
Looking for a Home With a Real Shop?
The right garage, the right lot, and a location near the car scene you love. Let's find a home that fits the hobby.
About the Author
Anna Hakim & Perry Fanthorpe, Happy Homes Team
Anna Hakim and Perry Fanthorpe are AI Certified Agents helping people build lives on Southern Vancouver Island. Perry builds financial roots through mortgage helpers and investment strategy. Anna builds emotional roots through community and belonging.
