THE EVENT that divided a community has also divided a council.
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Gunnedah Motorcycle Club will be forced to foot the bill for the restoration of the Gunnedah Showground if they go ahead with the Australia Senior Track Championships in September.
Despite the club previously expressing their unwillingness to restore the track, which they intend to widen, due to financial hardship, workload requirements and unclear track specifications, Gunnedah Shire Council voted at a meeting on Wednesday to require the club to pay for the restoration as a condition of their booking.
Concerns were raised over the widening, which would reduce the grassed area, by agricultural event organisers including the Gunnedah Show Society, Namoi Horse Association, Gunnedah Pony Club, Gunnedah Dog Trial Committee and the Gunnedah Show Society Campdraft Club.
Representing the Gunnedah Motorcycle Club, Denise Dall said she hoped council would allow the "prestige event" to go forward due to the economic benefit it could provide to the town.
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"We have many businesses that sponsor our meeting and we also wanted to showcase their business and what they do to support their local sporting clubs," she said.
Ms Dall said since the club last held an event at the showground in 2015, the facility had naturally deteriorated and it was not their responsibility to cough up the cash to restore it.
"We levelled it all off and it was in a lot better condition than it is now," she said.
"We spent nearly two days straightening and fixing all the fence up, we have a look at the fence now and it's in an appalling condition."
Diane Hobden from the Gunnedah Pony Club said allowing the motorcycle club to decrease the grassed area of the showground and widen the track would be a "nail in the coffin" for future equestrian events.
Ms Hobden said funding had been used to create the "renowned" multi-use facility and she feared this hard work would be wasted if the track was widened.
Gunnedah Show Society Campdraft Club's Mick Mcloughlin told council the club had worked hard to get the showground to a level they receive "praise and compliments" about and feared the motorcycle event would compromise the safety and appeal of the facility.
Placing the burden on the club was supported by five councillors while the remaining four voted to can the event.
Cr Kate McGrath voted in favour of the club bearing the brunt which she said was the "best compromise" for the situation.
"If the motorcycle club are willing to undertake the cost and willing to restore the track at their own cost I think that's perfectly reasonable ... if they are not able to do that, then the event won't go ahead," she said.
With the town's economic development plan in mind, Cr McGrath said the tourism that the event could provide to Gunnedah would be a "gift" to small businesses and the economy.
Cr Colleen Fuller also supported the recommendation and said it would be a shame to lose the event.
"It's vital that we bring this thing to Gunnedah," she said.
"Only last weekend Gunnedah was very fortunate to have the first Australian title junior out of our own town.
"It would be a great shame if we can't showcase this bike event to Gunnedah."
Cr Ann Luke and Cr Murray O'Keefe both supported the motorcycle club footing the bill.
Cr O'Keefe said while he didn't believe the motorcycle club would be able to pay for the restoration, and therefore host the event, he said they should still be given the option.
"It's incredibly frustrating that the matter has become before council in the manner it has and has become emotionally charged for many members of our community," he said.
"But I feel it is important that we do offer the opportunity for the club to host the event and make good and restore the arena to a satisfactory condition for subsequent booking, which I note are occurring in the week immediately after the booking in question."
Urging his fellow councillors to can the national event, Cr Robert Hoddle said the motorcycle club had refused to restore the track which is estimated to cost more than $60,000.
"[The club paying] has no legs on it because the club have said they won't restore it," he said.
In the interest of the agricultural events that are scheduled for the week after the motorcycle competition, Cr Juliana McArthur voted against the event being held at the showground in the interest of the "majority of local users".
Cr Robert Hooke didn't take the decision lightly and said there would be "winners and losers" from the outcome but voted against the use of the showground.
"We've got events coming up immediately after the motorcycle event and for those events, pony club, the dog trials and the campdrafters, the ground will not be suitable for them," he said.
"We can't jeopardise those events."
Council resolved to allow the motorcycle club to use the showground for the national event on the condition they would bear the full cost of restoring the track.
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