COMMENT BY:
Barwon Recreational Motorcycling Council Chairman, Peter Lindeman

SAFE, professionally organised and controlled off-road riding at the iconic venue of McAdam Park, Barrabool will be saved or killed off by the City of Greater Geelong Tuesday, August 25, 2009.

This family event kicks-off at 9.30am with some of the regions youngest riders on display from Colac, Sporting Motor Cycle and Geelong Moto Cross

The battle to save the sports icon is in its finals days and a decision by the council will either see City Hall continue its controversial month or finally have a good news story to sell.

Mayor John Mitchell claims to now support McAdam Park as the new home for Geelong Moto Cross Club.

However threats to pull $800,000 funding that has been dedicated to find a Breakwater replacement facility which Mayor Mitchell closed more than two years ago, further adds to controversies which have surrounded the council in recent weeks.

A football or netball club would not be treated this way.

The legitimate sport of off-road riding at McAdam Park which through local, regional, and national events puts more than $5 million into Geelong's economy each year, is being treated like a second-class citizen.

The region's peak motorcycling body Barwon Recreational Motorcycling Council has in recent months been criticised, even called bullies, for providing factual information including the council's own internal documents to every Geelong councillor, because council staff had failed to do so.

If providing factual information to councillors, or repeated requests for a full briefing of councillors is bullying, then we are guilty as charged.

The simple facts are:

COUNCIL officers suggested councillors make a decision to provide a replacement facility for Geelong Moto Cross Club before closing the Breakwater facility. That did not occur.

MAYOR Mitchell put a motion before council to close down the Breakwater facility and was supported by the then councillors.

COUNCIL'S own documentation put the value of the former Breakwater site and its assets at more than $2 million. We provided councillors with this information. Most had not seen it.

COUNCIL committed to provide Geelong Moto Cross Club with a full replacement facility that would ensure future growth of the club. It is still waiting.

COUNCIL'S own 2007 Motocross Development Plan showed that McAdam Park was its favoured option. No action was taken. We provided councillors with this information. Most had not seen it.

COUNCIL then proceeded to investigate the Dandos Rd proposal, which Avalon Airport opposed.

EARLIER this year Geelong Moto Cross Club became aware of severe restrictive operational conditions placed on Dandos Rd that no sporting club would accept and opposed the proposal on those grounds.

THE CLUB then called on council to back the only viable option in the region, McAdam Park.

Approximately 90 per cent of users of the existing facilities at McAdam Park come from the City of Greater Geelong.


The BRMC has already received a commitment (subject to purchase of the facility) to host the Australian National Motocross Championships for the next three years, securing potentially millions more dollars in tourism revenue for our city over and above the current economic benefit of more than $5 million.

Opportunities have been identified through the redevelopment of McAdam Park to bring new users to the site and for it to play a critical role in terms of motorcycle safety, farm and trail bike education.

The emphasis of the McAdam Park plan is to ensure riders can ride in a safe and secure environment, and provide road, off-road, motocross, trail, junior, ATV and farm motorcycle education, training, maintenance and license testing in line with TAC and VicRoads programs.

We encourage involvement in council programs such as the City of Greater Geelong TAC Off Road On Track program for disadvantaged youth. McAdam Park would continue to be the region's only ``safe riding'' venue for off-road motorcycling, providing an alternative to national park areas.

Saving McAdam Park would achieve many instant benefits, including resolution of its outstanding commitment to provide the GMCC with a new permanent home and secure the only remaining recreational and sporting off road facility in the region.

Funding McAdam Park to the tune of $1.2m, even if over two years, would save ratepayers at least $2 million on providing a Breakwater replacement that would also need to cater for riders who use McAdam Park, if it was lost.

This could be a fantastic news story for City of Greater Geelong, saving the sport of off-road riding and providing a world-class junior training facility.


- Peter Lindeman


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