Avalon ‘an option for bike track’

By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
FINDING a local venue for motorcycle sports is back to square one after City Hall revealed it might withhold $650,000 in funding to develop a facility.
Council promised the money for an existing track at Barrabool to become a regional home for Sporting Motor Cycle and Geelong Motocross clubs but a long-running battle with residents over noise and amenity issues ended last week when Motorcycling Australia conceded defeat.
Motorsports will now cease at the McAdam Park track after 2015.
City Hall recreation projects and central Geelong manager Dean Frost said the council only agreed to fund the McAdam Park facility if it “proceeded as planned”.
“The funding would not automatically be available for another project – it would require a new resolution of council to allocate funds toward a motorcycle facility at a different location.”
The former State Government allocated $1.27 million for Motorcycling Australia to buy McAdam Park, while Surf Coast Shire allocated $100,000 and considered giving another $100,000. Sporting Motor Cycle Club, which has used McAdam Park for about 40 years, put in $145,000.
The clubs could now look to Avalon, initially mooted for Geelong Motocross Club after its Breakwater track closed in 2007.
Avalon Airport’s Justin Giddings said land was available on the south side of the airport.
“We have a solution here that would work and we’re in discussions with the City about what we would need to do.
“It seems straightforward. We’d have to build some mounds and whatever other requirements they might have. It’s well out of the way of residents and won’t affect the future of the airport.”
Sporting Motor Cycle Club’s Peter Ovens said the club was investigating its options.
“Avalon doesn’t really look to be a suitable site compared to what we had.”
Geelong Motocross Club’s Frank Cambria was confident of ending up at Avalon.
“We’ve been told the council funding is still available but we need to go through the proper process and meet the criteria,” Mr Cambria said. “We hope to have one of best complexes in Australia in time for the 2015 season. Council has been very supportive.”
Motorcycling Australia is working with Surf Coast Shire and the City to discuss alternative venues.