Robert and Warren Taylor reminisce on the legacy of their grandfather Bill Kennerson

Bill Kennerson was the grandfather of Bathurst mayor Robert Taylor, and was instrumental in getting all three racing codes up and running in the city.

That's why Cr Taylor said it's very sad to think that Kennerson Park has closed and the name may not live on.

"It's sad in that respect, because we have a connection to Kennerson Park through our grandfather and to think that it's closing, it's a sad day to think that it's happened," he said.

"It's got a lot of memories, a lot of stories told. It used to be very popular back in the day, there used to be a lot of people there on a Saturday afternoon."

Mr Kennerson moved from Eugowra to Bathurst to open a butcher shop in around 1910.

He purchased a block of land on Upfold Street - where the greyhound track is now - to keep his cattle.

However, after deciding the block was too close to town, he purchased land out at Orton Park and donated the Upfold Street property to be used as a greyhound racing facility.

Another of Mr Kennerson's grandsons, Warren Taylor, said he just loved sport and wanted to see it thrive in Bathurst.

ALSO MAKING NEWS: Cooking with gas: Perthville servo lights up the BBQ to help flood victims

"He decided to give them the land for no cost at all and in his honour, they named it Kennerson Park after him," Mr Taylor said.

"It was a gift just to get the sport going in Bathurst, at that time they were slipping dogs all over the town and betting, so to make it legal they built the race track there."

Mr Kennerson also played a major role in the harness and thoroughbred racing codes.

He was the youngest committee member at the harness racing club when it started at the Bathurst Showground, and he also helped bring gallops back to the city.

"He had a bet with a chap at Orange, a bookmaker, a 50-pound bet which is a lot of money in those days, that he'd have horse racing back in Bathurst in two years," Warren Taylor said.

"So they got a block of land out at Eglinton - where the 2BS towers are now - and that was a race track. They raced there for about five years.

"Eventually they closed down again, so he and Barney Tyres and Gordon Bourke got together and they donated money for Tyres Park, and that's where they built the race track there."

ALSO MAKING NEWS: Mother narrowly escapes prison time after attempting to smuggle drugs into Bathurst jail

Mr Kennerson was also on Bathurst Council and involved in getting Mount Panorama's racing circuit up and running, so he has a lot of history in the city.

Warren Taylor is proud of his grandfather's significant achievements and the influence he had on multiple sports in Bathurst.

He said Kennerson Park in the 1950s and 60s was a massive turning point.

"There was no TAB in those days ... you'd go out there of a Saturday and there'd be 20 or 30 bookmakers betting on Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane races and 10 betting on the dogs, and you couldn't move. It'd be packed out there," he said.

The Taylor brothers are sad to see a location that holds so many memories for them close, and both said they would love to think that if Bathurst is successful in securing a new greyhound track, it would still hold the Kennerson name.

ALSO MAKING NEWS: Should they stay or should they go? One option has a strong lead in tree box poll

"It is synonymous with greyhound racing, it's been around for a long time," Cr Taylor said.

"A lot of people associate Kennerson Park with Bathurst, so it'd be lovely to think, and a great dedication to grandfather, if they would name the new track Kennerson Park.

"I think it would be a great honour to have that named after grandfather and to recognise the work that he did, not only in the greyhound field, but in the thoroughbred and the trotting fields."

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: