People from the government’s Work for the Dole scheme have been hard at it this week, removing seats and planks from the section of the grandstand that is most in need of repair.

This is the first step in the long awaited rejuvenation of the 100-year-old structure, which has been  unusable for several years.

While the grandstand issue has been bubbling along for years, it has begun to gather momentum in the past 12 months.

Despite the best intentions of the Hunter River Agricultural and Horticultural Association, it wasn’t until the state government, in election campaign mode, promised $250,000 to revamp the grandstand earlier this year that the reconstruction began to seem within reach.

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The funding came after the HRAHA’s sponsor a plank program, initiated in mid-2014, failed to take flight the way show society officials had hoped.

The state government will deliver half its promise this financial year and the remainder next financial year.

The Mercury has argued the importance of the old stand several times in the past year and has tried to highlight the historical and cultural significance of showgrounds in rural and regional communities.

The fact that work has begun is great news for Maitland.

There may still be a long road ahead to get the grandstand back to its former glory, but now that work has begun, this community is closer than it has been for a long time to having the project completed.

Hopefully the grandstand will be ready before too many more Maitland Shows pass.