Later, returning from Bendigo on my push bike, I encountered a council contractor angle grinding and removing a metal pole directional sign to the "Kangaroo Flat Community Leisure Centre".

I asked him if I could have it as a momento but was refused because he had instructions to keep it until a final decision was made.

Bendigo council's intentions are perfectly clear.

His last words to me were "there's room for both, isn't there?".

The decision of our council to demolish the leisure centre is scandalous and amounts to downright vandalism.

The views and wishes of the majority of the 3555 community (as expressed by Member for Bendigo East Maree Edwards’ survey – favouring retention with 82.5 per cent majority – backed by a petition of 3000 signatures) are being ignored by council.

The two male Lockwood ward councillors are snubbing their own ratepayers.

The truth of this whole sorry saga is that certain personalities and the Kangaroo Flat Community Enterprise group “coveted” the site of the Kangaroo Flat Community Leisure Centre as “their place” for a 50-metre pool and by stealth failed to declare their intentions.

To hell with the rest of us.

Now they will win because our council doesn't have the courage to accept the wisdom and practicality of Don McKinnon's alternative plan and will destroy a building worth $4 million to replace.

Please people of Bendigo inundate your councillors with protest phone calls and emails and help stop this folly.

I write in response to Bill Collier’s letter (Thursday October 1, 2015) regarding the September 16 council meeting, which had to close early after protesters made it impossible to continue. 

This “frenzy”, as Bill called it, is not the fault of the council.

Last year the council exercised its decision-making power to issue a notice of decision to grant the planning application for Bendigo’s first mosque.

This is the role of the council. 

I agree, democracy is fragile and should be protected but not at the expense of people’s safety. 

There were approximately 100 people in the public gallery and six police were in attendance.

It was the advice of the police to close the meeting and allow for councillors, staff and the general public to exit safely. 

In order for the council to get on with the job it was elected to do, the next council meeting will be held on October 14 and the public gallery will be seated downstairs in the main hall of the Bendigo Town Hall and the councillors will meet upstairs, as per usual. 

The public will be able to watch the meeting on a large video screen.

Questions from the public will need to be submitted by midday on October 14 and they will be read out by a council officer and answered by me. 

This is a win-win for the council and the public, as the democratic process can still be undertaken without putting people’s safety at risk. 

Send a letter to the editor to addynews@fairfaxmedia.com.au, or PO Box 61, Bendigo, 3552.