Orange councillors will debate on Tuesday night whether to find extra funds by postponing capital works at Moulder Park and the showground's drainage works program for a year or keep the $1.4 million budget and reduce the size of the pavilion from 80 metres in length to 60 metres.

In a report to councillors, community, recreation and cultural services director Scott Scott Maunder said the contractor's preliminary work had revealed poor-quality, uncontrolled fill on the site, which meant the concrete slab needed to be thickened by three centimetres and a concrete driveway and parking area would be needed to cater for heavy vehicle movement.  

He also noted 827 square metres of soil, or 85 truck movements, would need to be removed from the site and a loading dock was needed to open access to the sheep pavilion.

Councillor and showground advocate Ron Gander said it was disappointing the matter would return to councillors given they had already approved the 80 metres, but he would advocate to keep the bigger pavilion. 

“The travelling exhibits [expected to use the facility], they want decent access for the big vehicles,” he said.

“I would have thought we would have set out, to make it functional, to have some extras we need – either way, there will be something constructed.

“I've been fighting for eight years to save the showground and I'm not giving up this easy.”

Cr Gander said holding the two projects for a year would not matter greatly.

The project has languished since December 2014 when the council approved an 80-metre by 40-metre pavilion but the tender process failed to yield a price to match its budget.

Tenders were rejected in July 2015, the project was separated into construction and electrical components and prices were sought for a range of building sizes.

But these were also rejected in November and the tender process was cancelled to enter negotiations with suitable organisations.

During the public exhibition period earlier this year, 10 submissions were made supporting the proposal, saying a cheaper 60-metre building would have limited use.