HORSHAM user groups affected by the City to River draft master plan are taking steps to ensure their opinions are heard.
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The draft plan recommends the development of a new multi-purpose shared infrastructure outdoor sports precinct on the Crown land reserve at the Horsham Showgrounds precinct. Horsham Greyhound Racing Club occupys the land.
Horsham Showground Management Committee chairman Justin Brilliant said the group was going through the regular process to make a submission. Mr Brilliant is also the Horsham Greyhound Racing Club manager and said the club wouldn't comment at this time but would also write a submission.
Horsham Agricultural Society executive administrator Andrea Cross said the group's 30 committee members were developing a submission.
"These plans have inspired us to look within our organisation and look to the future to mould development. We're looking to develop a strategic plan of our own because of the City to River plan," she said.
"We're doing a lot of development down at Maydale Reserve that doesn't have to do with the plan."
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Horsham Amateur Basketball Association president Owen Hughan said the group had given the council evidence in the past that showed the financial implications of a proposed sporting precinct.
"We've given them ample evidence that it won't work and now all we can do is put that to the public," he said.
Mr Hughan said the council should have divided the master plan into different sections, due to the sheer number of changes proposed.
The association has a seven-year licence with the council to use the stadium.
The draft plan said City Oval, and Horsham lawn tennis and croquet clubs had facilities which "did not meet current standards and as a result cannot host certain events or accommodate participation from a broad cross section of the community".
Horsham Lawn Tennis Club president Andrew Dorman said club officials had met with council.
"We want to work with the council and look at the objectives that are in the plan that can be achieved. Our intention is to stay here," he said.
"There are a number of things that we can do to improve the current facilities. We want to be constructive in our approach. Our volunteers have put in a lot of work to get the club to where it is now."
Mr Dorman said the club had about 150 members - 90 of them juniors.
"We're all working towards creating a great environment for children to learn a great sport," he said.
The club will have a meeting on August 12 to decide its approach in writing a submission.
Horsham Croquet Club president Betty Etherton said the group already made a submission, which was also sent to councillors.
"We reiterated that we are a regional centre in our own right and have been here for more than 90 years. We want to stay here and stay with the Horsham Lawn Tennis Club because we often use their courts, too," she said.
Mrs Etherton said the club's location had plenty of parking access and complemented the Horsham Botanic Gardens.
"In our submission we suggested a few things, such as closing the road off to make it more safe and opening up the whole area, getting rid of the fences, to incorporate the garden," she said.
Wimmera Live Steam and Model Engineering Society, which runs the Sawyer Park Miniature Railway, was not mentioned in the draft plan.
President David McDonald said the group would put in a submission.
"Essentially we'll be saying to leave the groups by the river alone. If you take something away from that area and replace it with something else, you won't see the river precinct get used more just used differently," he said.
"We're actually included in the draft master plan and they haven't done any research into our group. It's very disappointing that the council feels that way."
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The draft plan said there were opportunities for a potential expansion of Horsham Riverside Caravan Park.
Horsham Riverside Caravan Park co-manager Sue Jones said the council discussed the proposed changes to her partner Glenn Coffey in a 45 minute meeting.
"There are a lot of negatives and a lot of positives. It's mixed emotions really. The council wants the community's opinion. They shouldn't take away things that have been here for years and should rather implement the changes around what's here," she said.
She said the park was under a 20-year lease, which meant no changes could be made until it ran out.
"The plan, as it stands, shows that some of the park's land will be taken. We have so many tourists coming here to stay and the park shouldn't be shrunk," she said.
Ms Jones said she would like to see the river end of Firebrace Street made "more appealing".
The draft plan recommends the development of a government services precinct on Roberts Avenue, with the current Horsham Police Station turned into a green space.
Victoria Police Western Region Superintendent Paul Margetts said police representatives met with council to discuss the plan. He said Victoria Police would make a submission on the plan that he would contribute to.
"It's all concept discussions at this time. Years ago I did have discussions with council about the proposal of a community safety precinct hub, so it makes a lot of sense to me to have us all integrated," he said.
"We have a greater emphasis on intervention work, which naturally makes us work with other departments and services more."
He said the current Horsham Police Station was completed in 1980.
"Over the life-cycle of the building there have been a number of internal renovations," he said.
"We currently have renovations at the moment to house the family violence and intelligence practitioners who have come into the team. It's been an evolutionary building ever since the day it was built to adapt to the changing work that Victoria Police carries out."
Superintendent Margetts said it wasn't essential to have courthouses and police stations next to each other, but did pose risks.
Greyhound Racing Victoria and the Victoria Police Association were contacted for comment.
Read the full draft City to River master plan below
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