J.D.A RACEWAY IS ON TRACK AT EVERGREEN
For the first time since it opened in 1982 the race track at Evergreen Park has a name.
For the next 10 years, at least, the complex will be known as J.D.A. Raceway.
J.D.A. Ventures, with locations in Grande Prairie and Whitecourt, has purchased the naming rights to the track.
“J.D.A. Ventures Ltd. is very happy to be sponsoring the Raceway at Evergreen Park,” said Jarvie Dawson of J.D.A., son of founder Jarvis Dawson. “The track is somewhere where friends and family get together, and as a family-owned company, that is something that speaks to the core values of our business. We are excited to be connected to such a large part of the community and all the memories to be made out at the track.”
The first memories will be formed next week when the chuckwagons and rodeo performers hit the track for the 41st annual Grande Prairie Stompede.
“We’re very, very thrilled the track sponsor is such a strong community supporter as the Dawson family is,” said Evergreen Park General Manager Dan Gorman. “We would like to develop and grow and expand the track and add different things. So, we are going to work with the Dawson family and the Dawson group to be able to enhance and grow that.”
In many ways J.D.A. Ventures Ltd. history mirrors that of Evergreen Park.
J.D.A. owner Jarvis Dawson started – like the Grande Prairie Regional Agricultural & Exhibition Society (Evergreen Park) did with a county fair consisting of some tables of crafts and a few farmyard animals in downtown Grande Prairie in 1910 - from humble beginnings, worked hard to create something special and has seen his company grow to become an important part of the community.
Established in 1994 as a one-truck hotshot company operating out of an automotive shop (that’s where the “A” comes from in J.D.A.) today J.D.A. is a well-known light and heavy oilfield hauler operating out of branches in Grande Prairie and Whitecourt (established 2015) with over 150 pieces of equipment and 75-plus employees.
Jarvis is the middle son of teachers Martha and Leo Dawson and grew up in the community. In 1990, he married his wife Kim and they have four children - Mandy, Jarvie, and twins Dusty and Dylan. Kim has been his loyal and loving partner in life and in business.
At the age of 16 Jarvis started growing his infamous mustache, for which he is well known today, and thus began his career in the oilfield industry. In 1986, Jarvis bought a three-bay service station and worked as a power tong hand occasionally on weekends to meet the needs of his family. There was plenty of struggle in the early years, but it was at the service station where he got his feet wet as an entrepreneur and started learning the challenges of owning a business.
Jarvis is deeply committed to the community, local charities and organized sports. One of his joys as a young teen was raising a 4-H steer, and he continues to support the 4-H program. As his sons matured through hockey leagues, he began to support local team programs and still continues in that commitment with the donation of transportation for a number of sports teams including the J.D.A. Kings hockey team. A number of other community organization and charities have been recipients of the generosity of Jarvis and Kim.
The commitment to the community continues with the naming rights to the J.D.A. Raceway at Evergreen Park. The 10-year agreement is valued at $25,000 per year.
J.D.A. Raceway is part of a complex that includes Gordon Badger Stadium, the Pines Restaurant & Casino and the Pines Family Restaurant. While the track is active in the spring, summer and fall the facility is open year-round.
Jarvis Dawson came up with the name for the track.
“When he first said he wanted to call it J.D.A. Raceway I thought that sounded like a stock car track so I googled raceway and found there are a lot of horse racing tracks called raceways in North America,” said Evergreen Park Marketing and Sponsorship Manager Don Moon. “J.D.A. Raceway also rolls off the tongue very nicely so it’s a very appropriate fit.”
Following Stompede, Boots & Moccasins Chuckwagon Racing & Powwow Weekend will be held June 15-17 and then in July and August J.D.A. Raceway hosts The Horses At Evergreen Park. One of the bigger events of September is the South Peace Horse Club Trials. The track also hosts events like monster trucks, Nitro Circus, high school rodeo and more.
J.D.A. Raceway, considered one of the safest horse racing tracks in North American, is 7/8th of a mile and is made of sand and loam with a clay base.
