Cessnock councillor James Ryan ­ignited the debate about Maitland after he said the city’s urban sprawl, rampant ­consumerism and a car-reliant culture for had made it the saddest place in the Hunter.

Maitland City Council mayor Peter Blackmore quickly jumped to defend the city, but the opinion was split when it came to residents.

According to the results of the Mercury’s online poll, 51.41 per cent of respondents believed Maitland’s growth and development had made it a sad place, while 48.59 per cent disagreed.

The split left one local group dumbfounded.

“We saw the article in the paper and couldn’t believe 51 per cent of people agreed,” Maitland running group member Sebastian Hoffman said.

“We are from all age categories, but we love Maitland.”

The group of residents took a break from their tri-weekly run to take a happy selfie as proof there are some people who think Maitland is a great place.

Before joining the group, none of these residents knew each other.

Thanks to a passion for fitness, the group came together and Mr Hoffman believed they were the perfect example of what made Maitland a great place.

“We go to a café after runs for coffee and to catch up,” he said.

“This photo is just a small fraction of the group.

“Just want to show not everyone thinks Maitland is a sad place.”