MEMBERS of the Bathurst Kart Club will be watching Thursday's extraordinary meeting, hoping the vote will help them realise a dream they've held for years.
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On October 21, Bathurst Regional Council resolved to source a $2.25 million loan to help fund construction of the go-kart track at Mount Panorama.
However, a rescission motion was lodged the next morning challenging that decision, and council will meet on Thursday at 2.30pm to vote as to whether they will uphold or reverse that decision.
For the kart club, it's just another delay in a very long battle for a circuit.
President Mark Dunbar hopes that Thursday's meeting will see the funding plans go ahead, as it will finally allow the project to be delivered, a project he says is "the missing link in motor sport" at Mount Panorama.
"It gives us a start and I think [the mayoral minute] showed great leadership by a mayor to move forward with it, instead of it being bashed from pillar to post," he said.
"If the vote goes to start the track we'll be partying like it's 1999 on Thursday afternoon. We're all fingers crossed and wishful thinking."
Last week, mayor Bobby Bourke and deputy mayor Ian North voted in favour of the funding arrangement, along with councillors Warren Aubin, Alex Christian and Graeme Hanger.
Councillors John Fry, Jess Jennings, Monica Morse and Jacqui Rudge voted against it.
If those four vote the same way, they will need to convince one other councillor to change their mind.
Mr Dunbar said the club will continue looking for other avenues to fund the track if the original decision is reversed.
"If it doesn't go our way, they've accepted our lease, the council in their wisdom has renewed our lease; we'll keep applying for grants and we'll do as much work as we can in kind to get this project under way," he said.
"And the Bathurst Kart Club would like to thank Bathurst Regional Council, councillors and the staff for the help they've given the club over the last eight years to get this far."
Mr Dunbar said the club understands there are concerns in the community, but the process had been followed in the same way it has for other sporting infrastructure, and now it's about finding the money to make the plans a reality.
"We are a community club and we understand the concerns, but as far as I know the council quite often borrow money for sporting clubs to get them ahead, hence why we're very excited about it all happening for us," he said.
