The timing of the Great Race outside of school holidays for the past two years has certainly had an impact on the crowd numbers at the last two parades, but it was starting to look tired even earlier than that.

Long-time residents fondly recall huge Great Race parades in the 1970s and 80s that featured floats from local businesses and a chance to cheer the drivers.

The crowds would be packed 10 deep along the main street and, as some posters on our Facebook page have said, the parade would be one of the highlights of the year for local youngsters.

So why can’t we make it happen again? And what better time than in Bathurst’s bicentenary year?

The racing drivers and teams have commitments on Mount Panorama from Thursday to Sunday each Race Week so the parade cannot be moved from its mid-week position.

But does it really need to be run in the middle of the day when local kids are in school? Why not try a twilight parade and party in Kings Parade, giving local schools and charities a chance to set up barbecues and food stalls to raise some extra cash?

If the NSW road rules mean the (unregistered) V8s cannot drive up William Street for the parade, why not put them on the back of a fleet of trucks and have the drivers displayed to the crowd in the back seat of convertible cars?

Why not invite local businesses and major race sponsors to enter a float of their own and bring their merchandise to town to share with the crowds?

We should always be looking for new ways to leverage off the success of the Bathurst 1000, rather than looking for reasons these things can’t be done.

The community wants a bigger and better Great Race parade. That doesn’t seem too much to ask.