MALDON'S Easter parade has been saved from last minute chaos after questions emerged about the route.
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Discussions about road closures along the route have dragged into this week but Easter Fair Committee president Peter Thompson says there is now agreement on a full closure.
"We've got some things we've still got to work through for future parades but we are going ahead with the full road closure this time, which is what we wanted," he said.
The Easter Parade has followed the same route for more than a century but in the last few years state road authorities have expressed unease given the town is now on a designated heavy transport route.
Maldon is not the sort of town where it is easy to detour trucks down other streets. Closures can add about half-an-hour onto their trips, Mr Thompson said.
Road authorities last year only allowed one High Street lane to close, he said.
Parade organisers wanted to avoid that this year after trucks last year rolled along the one open lane during the parade near children.
Organisers say they applied for a full road closure in December but were asked last week to move the parade onto other roads around town.
That was not much of an option given the size and hilliness of many of the roads off of High Street, Mr Thompson said.
The Department of Transport and Planning has confirmed High Street will be closed from Main Street to Camp Street from 10.30am to noon for the procession.
That will "ensure everyone attending the event is able to enjoy the parade safely on a street that's closed and free from moving vehicles", the department's Loddon Mallee regional director Melanie Hotton said.
"Signage will be in place at key locations to ensure heavy vehicles are aware of detour routes during the parade and can move safely around the region."
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The 146th Maldon Easter Fair Grand Procession should kick off at 10.30 am on Easter Monday but it is far from the only festivity planned for the long weekend.
Mr Thompson was especially looking forward to Saturday's Dancing in the Street event, which for the first time since COVID-19 will actually be in a street.
He is also looking forward to the first Movie in the Street event. Grease will screen on Sunday evening.
For more information about this year's Maldon Easter Fair visit the event's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/maldoneasterfair
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Tom O'Callaghan
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
