Wagga City Council has been threatened with legal action should it approve one of the 10 routes proposed in its $11.7 million cycle track plan.
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The Australian Clay Target Association has written to the council ahead of its meeting on Monday strongly objecting to the planned path through Forest Hill.
Executive officer Tony Turner said the proposed trail passed too close to the ACTA’s grounds at Tasman Road and “users will be able to see up to 100 shooters aiming in their direction”.
Other clubs have been shut down because of noise. We don’t want to be in the same situation.
- Tony Turner
He said the trail’s location “2km from the actual firing line” raised the prospect of members of the public lodging noise complaints and crippling the 60-year-old facility that serves as the sport’s national head office.
“Other clubs have been shut down because of noise,” Mr Turner said. “We don’t want to be in the same situation.”
The report to go before councillors on Monday night contains 10 proposed routes that have been put forward for approval following a consultation period that attracted about 250 submissions, comments and survey responses.
In the ACTA’s submission, Mr Turner requested council provide written assurances the bike path would not impact on the club’s operation.
He said the council’s 20-year development plan noted there was no urban development that would be any closer to the site than already existed.
“This is clearly incorrect,” Mr Turner said. “As far as we are concerned the guarantee we were part of the city plan does not mean anything.”
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In a written response to the request that “the endorsement of any bike/walking trail will not impact the ACTA now or in the future”, the council’s general manager, Peter Thompson, said he could not provide such a guarantee.
“Members of the community can and do raise concerns, about all manner of things,” he said.
“If this does occur it will be a matter of regulatory authorities at that time to answer the complaint having regard to all standards of the day and hopefully a strong element of common sense.”
Mr Turner said the ACTA has contributed significantly to the city’s economy by hosting a number of national and international events since 2000.
He said the ACTA “will seek legal opinion immediately” if the route is approved.
