GOORNONG residents fear someone could be seriously injured if roadside ditches running through the town don't get urgent attention from City of Greater Bendigo Council.
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Publican Wes White says he is often called on to haul bogged cars out of the ditches in Chute Street, which run alongside his Drovers Arms Hotel.
The calls for action have grown louder after a couple of children this month fell into one of the ditches when it was filled with rainwater.
Concerned residents are scheduled to meet with council's engineering and public spaces manager Brett Martini this Wednesday to discuss the issue.
Mr White, who took over ownership of the town's pub about 12 months ago, believes there is a strong case for action.
"They've been a problem ever since I’ve been in the pub and long before that," he said.
"They're a disgrace - the water just sits there and it stinks.
“Just last weekend I had to pull two cars out - we've even had a few kids fall in.
“If these were at my house, I would have to put a fence around them to keep people out.”
Despite upgrading the hotel's car park, Mr White says the facility still only has room for about 25 cars.
This had forced many customers on weekends to park in Chute Street.
Mr White says problems with the ditches are exacerbated at night when visibility in Chute Street is poor.
“People who park in the street have to walk on the road to get into the pub as there is no footpath and the nature-strip is slippery and muddy,” he said.
“The locals know the drains are there but if you’re not (a local), you don’t know it’s there or know how deep they are."
Mr White says he was left stunned about three weeks ago to find that after protesting to council, excavators arrived in Goornong to deepen the ditches.
He estimated he had spent about $300,000 renovating the pub, including building a children's playground and renovating the interior.
Future works will include another expanasion of the car park.
The drainage ditches and culverts were built more than 20 years ago by the former Huntly Shire Council in response to a major flooding event in the district at a cost of about $250,000.
A Huntly Shire councillor at that time and now a Bendigo city councillor, James Williams says the drains have served their purpose but it was probably time for a rethink on the issue.
"A quarter of a million dollars was a lot of money to spend on drainage at the time," Cr Williams said.
"It served a purpose, but he (Mr White) has raised an issue - and rightfully so.
"They are not the only deep drains in the municipality, but it is a concern that's shared by people in Goorning and it's appropriate that (the issue) put on the table."
Council has no money allocated in its 2015-16 budget for drainage works in Goornong.
But Cr Williams says he is supportive of Mr White bringing the issue to council's attention and would push for its to be considered in future budget discussions.