Council is holding an extraordinary meeting less than a week out from Christmas to make a final decision on a plan to modify the original go kart development application to extend the track.

The recommendation from senior staff is for the DA to be approved with a long list of conditions, particularly regarding possible Aboriginal artefacts on the site at McPhillamy Park.

And that appears to be the way the majority of councillors are also thinking, though the vote will certainly not be unanimous.

The Greens’ councillor, John Fry, has been particularly vocal about his opposition to building a go kart on McPhillamy Park and would prefer to see it included as part of the second track development.

Just a fortnight ago he was joined on the Mount by local Wiradyuri elders and Greens MP David Shoebridge to push that campaign, but unless a number of his council colleagues have a late change of heart, Cr Fry does not appear to have the five votes needed to reject the current DA.

Even if he did, however, council has previously approved a separate DA for the go kart track which only differs from the current proposal in terms of track length.

So regardless of the result of Wednesday’s vote, it appears certain the track will be built at the top of the Mount.

What that means, though, is that every step of the process will be accompanied by protest.

The local Wiradyuri community remains steadfast in its conviction that McPhillamy Park is the wrong place for the track and will be an insult to their culture.

They also believe their concerns have been ignored by council and will not let the issue rest.

When work starts on the track, we can expect protests. When races begin at the track, we can expect protests.

Council must know that’s what the future holds but has come too far now to back down, and that’s a shame.

In the spirit of reconciliation, it would be better to see a compromise that suits all parties. But when there is no common ground in a debate, compromise is impossible.

The go kart track will be another great attraction for Bathurst, but it will always be a bit tainted by this bitter debate.