Last October, Exies threatened to shelve plans for the new club if council would not help fund the footpath, estimated to cost about $75,000.

But despite being urged by council staff not to support a proposal for council to pay half the cost of the path, councillors voted overwhelmingly to put up the funds.

Exies general manager Gus Lico hailed it as a “common sense breakthrough”, saying the redevelopment would start as soon as Exies received a construction certificate, as early as this week.

“We’re extremely happy council has decided to come to the party as we had not budgeted for this cost,” Mr Lico said.

“We sponsor a lot of sporting teams and this new club will be a valuable community facility.

“With Exies on Burrell closing and the bowling greens moving, this has become the premier sporting precinct in Griffith.”

The new club will be four times larger than the current one and should be completed in 10 to 12 months.

It will boast a restaurant, bar, function room, poker machine and TAB area.

The debate centred around whether the footpath was a shared facility or primarily for the use of Exies patrons.

Councillors agreed it was a shared facility, with Cr John Dal Broi moving to support Exies.

“Whilst this is a development, I understand that it is also an opportunity to provide access to the people who utilise that area, whether it be the club or the school and I think it will be of benefit to the users,” Cr Dal Broi said.

“The Ex-Servicemen’s Club makes a huge contribution to this community and for us to contribute 50 per cent of a footpath I think will go a long way towards not only helping them but the community.”