The Orange Showground Committee has asked Orange City Council to provide half the funds ($310,000) while it seeks the rest in a grant application from the Regional Agricultural Show Development Grants program.

Council is set to consider the request at its meeting on Tuesday night.

A report to council recommends that should the grant application be successful council would provide its contribution as part of 2020-2021 funding.

Orange Show Society president Peter Naylor said they wanted council to commit to the project before they submitted the grant application as the show society could not fund the work.

Mr Naylor said the nearest toilets were well away from the pavilion.

He said event organisers were scared off from hiring the building because of the need to hire separate toilets.

"Would you hire something that you had to hire toilets on top of? I wouldn't," he said.

Mr Naylor said providing the facilities would increase its use.

"If we do that it will open the door to the place," he said.

Mr Naylor said the pavilion was also the wet-weather reserve option for major Orange events including Carols By Candlelight, the Australia Day activities and the Farmers Markets.

The report to council said the request was first made in February 2018 and a concept plan was tabled in September 2018.

"A cost estimate received based on the concept plan was in the vicinity of $620,000 including building costs, planning fees, design fees and project management fees," it said.