Although there was a reclamation plan of the site to make a park and a parking lot in the 1970s, the castle was revived by citizens' movements including 'Yomigaeru Omihachiman no Kai' (Revitalize Omihachiman), 'Hachiman-bori wo Mamoru Kai' (Save Hachiman-bori Moat).
1970年代には埋め立てて公園と駐車場にする計画が立てられたが「よみがえる近江八幡の会」「八幡堀を守る会」などの住民運動によって蘇った。