From the new changerooms through to the scoreboard, parking and ground upgrades, the oval is undergoing a much needed rejuvenation program.

A recent safety audit though has shown that the handrails at the end of each stand are not compliant with current standards and the decision has been made to close the stands, an inconvenience for the shire's two main football teams.

Director of Infrastructure Services Grant Baker said that other attempts to stop people from using the stands had failed and the only measure left was to close them completely.

"The handrails are not high enough, and in parts they've been damaged," he said.

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"We're currently working to come up with a compliant solution with handrails that are higher and therefore safer for spectators."

Despite a series of barriers being put in place, there were still spectators using the stands during the season opener between the Blayney Bears and the Mudgee Dragons.

Dragon's fan Gerry McNamara said that he thought that the barriers were only for the bottom of the stands, not the stand itself.

"With all the work going on I wasn't sure if the stands were open or not," he said. "It looks like barriers from the other work that have been moved. The signage isn't very good as it says pedestrians access closed, there's no sign saying it's the stands that are actually closed."

"Somebody had moved the barrier earlier. It's an easy error to make."

Mr Baker said that the funding would most likely come from round eight of the Resources for Regions funding from the NSW government, the project under which the carpark, scoreboard and pedestrian access works will be funded.

"Council will be sourcing a new handrail which will meet safety precautions to be installed in the next one to two months, pending sourcing of materials," he said, "The grandstand will be closed until a new handrail is installed."

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