SOME Dean residents are concerned their quiet little village could soon be filled with the noise of Harleys revving.
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A bid by the American Motorcycle Club to lease the Dean Recreation Reserve clubrooms has divided opinion in the community, with 45 residents attending a public meeting on the issue on Wednesday.
It comes after the Goldfields chapter of the club approached Hepburn Shire Council with a proposal to lease the clubrooms for the purposes of having a meeting point for club members when participating in recreational rides.
The council resolved at its January meeting to draw up a draft lease and publicly advertise the proposal ahead of a council vote.
Newlyn resident Maria Sozanski, who attended Wednesday’s public meeting, said she was concerned about the impact on the local community, including noise issues and falling property values.
“The Ballarat group are not signing the lease at all – it’s actually the American Motorcycle Club, national chapter,” she said.
“There are a lot of questions, like are they going to sublet it and are they going to use it for national gatherings.”
Hepburn Shire councillor Don Henderson said the noise issue was a prominent topic during the public meeting.
“It was generally felt at the meeting that Harley Davidsons, without much noise suppression, are a pretty noisy thing to have in their backyard,” he said.
“We heard from the American Motorcycle Club and they did a presentation.”
Under the proposal, the club would be charged $104 per year in rent and undertake a schedule of capital works to the clubrooms.
The Dean Recreation Reserve Committee is responsible for the management and operation of the reserve, but is not currently active and does not hold regular meetings.
It has no revenue stream because the facility is not being used by groups.
Public submissions on the proposal are now open.
rachel.afflick@fairfaxmedia.com.au