ORANGE Show Society members have urged Orange City Council to reconsider their recommendation and dedicate the new pavilion at Orange Showground to the Naylor family.
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Council staff have recommended the name President’s Pavilion and that the historic red arch located within the showground be named after the family.
Show society president Peter Naylor said the precedent for honouring his family had been set by earlier committees which named buildings for the Dalton and Williams families, as well as Ron Hamilton and Tom Eslick.
“We would like council to have a think about what the showground has done for Orange and what the society has recommended it do,” Mr Naylor said.
“The pavilion is not just for the show, it’s for Orange.”
Council’s showground committee chairman Ron Gander said the President’s Pavilion would recognise the contribution of numerous people to the show’s proud 110-year history.
“When you look back through the history books, there’s been people who have contributed 20 to 30 years, some have committed their life to it, like Betty and Ray Naylor,” councillor Gander said.
“Betty did a tremendous amount of work, but there’s a huge amount of people who have contributed. What we’re trying to do is to recognise everybody.
“Everyone recognises that if Peter Naylor weren’t around now, there wouldn’t be a show.
“The Naylors have had a wonderful contribution, but so have many other families.”
The push to name the new pavilion in the Naylor family’s honour isn’t just coming from the show society’s president.
Senior vice president Christopher Ross said his own family had a long history with the show and backed the call to recognise the Naylors’ contribution.
“Betty Naylor was involved in the show all her life, she kept the show going for many years, he said.
Cr Gander said Mrs Naylor’s family’s contribution would be recognised through a dedication of the showground’s red arch.
That structure is slated to be demolished and replaced in the near future, but the Naylor name will be affixed to its replacement.
Cr Gander said the modern, all-weather pavilion would support more events – like the monthly farmers markets, wine festival, trade fairs and “anything you can think of” – being held at the showground.
Mr Naylor said the society’s history, curated by Sue Milne, was on show in the Dalton Pavilion.