I must admit, I've been slightly troubled by this ever since it was originally mooted.
Some of the claimed 'reasons' for the demolition, such as being able to increase the size of the ground to MCG dimensions, are spurious. Firstly, is it essential for the ground to be MCG dimensions? Of course not. In any event, there are other corners of the ground that can be pushed out if this is such an important matter.
About 20 years ago, I worked in Albert Road, opposite the old Lakeside Oval. Seeing what had happened to that once magnificent grandstand facing the carpark was saddening. At the time, I was living in Clifton Hill and decided to contact the City of Yarra to get access to Victoria Park, which was in a similar state of disrepair. I was lucky enough to spend a day there, photographing what was left before its recent soulless renovation.
These buildings are monuments to our game's history and, in my view, you need a bloody good reason to pull them down.
I was able to tour the Jack Dyer Stand about a decade ago when on a photographic assignment and, I admit, it's a patchwork quilt of renovations, repairs and add-ons. But I reckon that $30m grant offered up by the state government would comfortably transform the old place into something modern and marvellous.
I'm glad to see resistance to the demolition. At the very least, it will ensure a proper process is followed before yet another of our great VFL grandstands bites the dust.
Some of the claimed 'reasons' for the demolition, such as being able to increase the size of the ground to MCG dimensions, are spurious. Firstly, is it essential for the ground to be MCG dimensions? Of course not. In any event, there are other corners of the ground that can be pushed out if this is such an important matter.
About 20 years ago, I worked in Albert Road, opposite the old Lakeside Oval. Seeing what had happened to that once magnificent grandstand facing the carpark was saddening. At the time, I was living in Clifton Hill and decided to contact the City of Yarra to get access to Victoria Park, which was in a similar state of disrepair. I was lucky enough to spend a day there, photographing what was left before its recent soulless renovation.
These buildings are monuments to our game's history and, in my view, you need a bloody good reason to pull them down.
I was able to tour the Jack Dyer Stand about a decade ago when on a photographic assignment and, I admit, it's a patchwork quilt of renovations, repairs and add-ons. But I reckon that $30m grant offered up by the state government would comfortably transform the old place into something modern and marvellous.
I'm glad to see resistance to the demolition. At the very least, it will ensure a proper process is followed before yet another of our great VFL grandstands bites the dust.
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