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UPDATE 2.49pm: THE City of Greater Bendigo has watered down concerns it is not considering restoring or replacing the archway.
Planning and Development director Prue Mansfield said discussions about its restoration had centred on how to best address the archway's damage.
"In all my public statements and briefings to Councillors, I have always referred to 'how' we can restore or replace the archway and never 'whether' we should restore or replace the archway," she said.
"During these briefings, Councillors have never indicated to me that they do not support restoration or replacement.
"As with any major funding decision, the decision is ultimately a matter for Council."
EARLIER: BENDIGO's Golden Dragon Museum and the Bendigo Chinese Association say it would be "unacceptable" not to consider restoring or replacing central Bendigo's Chinese archway.
Yesterday the City of Greater Bendigo announced the iconic archway would be removed due to safety risks it posed to the community.
Damage caused by dry rot and termites meant the structure posed too great a risk to leave it in place, City of Greater Bendigo planning and development director Prue Mansfield said yesterday.
Ms Mansfield said the council would investigate if it could be restored.
Speaking to the Bendigo Advertiser shortly after the City of Greater Bendigo began a detailed photographic record of the archway on Friday morning, Golden Dragon Museum treasurer Anita Jack expressed concerns the archway could be removed without replacement.
"Any resemblance of a thought from the City of Greater Bendigo not to restore or replace the archway is unacceptable for the Golden Dragon Museum and the Bendigo Chinese Association," she said.
She said the museum had already fielded a number of concerns about the archway's damage and its potential removal.
"There is a lot of concern from the general public and business associates trying to figure out how it has got to this point," she said.
"Clearly it's concerning for all of us because of its cultural and historical significance.
"To allow culture to be removed goes against everything tourism is promoting."
She said the public could expect to see a lot of activity at the site for the next five days.
More to come.