Bathurst Regional council to reject bid to bring skateboarding World cup to the Mount

The International Downhill Federation had hoped to run one leg of the 2017 IDF World Tour at Mount Panorama from February 17-19.

Director Dave Robertson wrote to council in July seeking permission to use the track and seeking hire fee waivers and in-kind support totalling around $20,000.

Along with closing the top of the track, the IDF was also asking for exclusive use of track facilities, PA systems and a council sweeper.

Mr Robertson said he expected the event would attract around 150 competitors, with half of them to come from overseas, and an extra 150-200 track staff, support crew and volunteers.

He also sought to use the Newton’s Playground event name that council had trademarked until 2017 after introducing its own short-lived downhill festival in 2007.

“As you can imagine, the more in-kind support the council can provide the better the event would be,” Mr Robertson wrote.

“… [The Australian Skateboard Racing Association] has a strong history of putting on events of this stature on limited budgets and has over seven years always delivered on all aspects of their event contracts and, in most cases, over delivered.”

But a report to councillors by corporate services and finance director Bob Roach says it is “strongly recommended” that council does not support the event.

Mr Roach warns that council’s experience with Newton’s Playground had not been a positive one.

“Council experienced many problems with the operations of these championships,” Mr Roach wrote.

“Some of these problems were: 1. Traffic control management; 2. Resident access problems; 3. Organisational problems; 4. Financial problems.”

Councillors will consider the item at Wednesday night’s monthly meeting.