A quick-thinking decision to change the placement of a toilet block near the start line of this year’s Stawell Gift has saved the event from embarrassment on live television.
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Stawell Athletic Club president Neil Blizzard contacted the Northern Grampians Shire Council as soon as the concrete slab, which would lay the foundation for the toilet block, was placed into the ground.
“When the slab went down we called up council and had a meeting with John Kindred,” he said.
“We had a look and explained our biggest issue was was the closing and opening of the doors right behind the start line.
“You only need the Stawell Gift about to start and have the door slam and then you have got a bigger issue.”
Mr Blizzard also said the minimal space between the toilets and the truck in front, which would hold up the big screen, was a safety hazard.
“You would need at least a two metre clear area to allow for the opening and closing of the toilet doors,” he said.
“They did measurements, but hadn’t considered the scissor lift to hold up the big screen, but it was just a matter of going to talk to council on getting it moved and they have been fantastic about it.”
Northern Grampians Shire Council economic director Debbie Bach said the process to change the placement of the toilet block was swift.
“A toilet block has now been placed behind the scoreboard at the track,” she said.
“There should now be a sufficient amount of toilets for the event.”
Former race official Bob Cashin ran in 25 Stawell Gift events and said it was crucial to have “dead silence” around the start line.
“You should be able to hear a pin drop,” he said.
“Thankfully they have been moved because if there were toilets near the start line it would break your concentration for sure.
“Television cameras can zoom in pretty close so the toilet block also would not have been a good background for television.”
Mr Blizzard said it was never going to be an option and had thankfully been solved.
“It is the small things that matter when hosting an event like the Stawell Gift and something this small could have turned into a bigger problem,” he said.
Mr Blizzard said the vacant cement block in between the scoreboard and the Stawell Athletic Club rooms may be used to display a firetruck or host the big screen.
