Clearly, the new facility’s electrical requirements were underestimated during the design and construction phase, otherwise this embarrassing situation would not have occurred. 

Well, on the bright side, having the Minister for Racing plus other luminaries from Harness Racing NSW (which played a significant part in the design of this great facility) on hand may fast-track any improvements to the electrical supply to avoid this ever happening again.

SUPPORTERS of the proposed second circuit on Mount Panorama are rejoicing that Bathurst Regional Council, despite being almost 12 months late according to the original timeframe, has requested three companies to submit detailed design specifications by mid-May 2018. 

Interestingly, the three companies, iEDM, Dromo and Apex International, are diverse in their experience. 

iEDM has long had an association with council through the V8 Supercars in the management of the Bathurst 1000. The company has a chequered history on track design, however, having previously designed the Canberra and Homebush Bay street circuits (both of which failed to attract the imagination of the motorsport public, hence their demise), plus the Townsville and, recently, Newcastle circuits. 

To my knowledge, iEDM has never designed or built a standalone circuit on a greenfield site. I’ll be honest, I dislike “put-up, pull-down” street circuits. 

Dromo is an interesting Italian design entity that has specialised in designing and constructing safety improvements on many circuits throughout the world, Le Mans included. Again, though, to the best of my knowledge, the company has never designed and constructed a new circuit on a greenfield site. 

Apex International, an English-based firm, is the only tenderer that has designed and constructed numerous motorsport precincts, including Sydney Motorsport Park. 

Sorry to repeat myself, councillors, but the Mount Panorama Second Circuit Action Group, of which I’m a member, has long stated that council has “one chance to get the design and subsequent construction right”.

That clearly starts in selecting the best possible designer to ensure ratepayers get the “best bang for our buck”, to steal the late former mayor Ian Macintosh’s favourite statement. 

Once again, this is legacy infrastructure that will benefit the region for decades to come - on the assumption, that is, that council gets it right!

THE Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 Hour. A great finish, plus local competitors did the Bathurst region proud.

BATHURST Harness Racing Club literally leaving patrons in the dark during the unexpected power outage on Saturday night. Forty per cent of attendees left as no one from the executive made any public announcements about what was going on.