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Punt Road Redevelopment
- Thread starter caesar
- Start date
The public reserve stands that encircled the oval were finished in 1974 and lighting was installed in 1977. But the ground was plagued by clogged roads and a lack of public transport, including a train line the government promised, but would not bring forward, in the words of Transport Minister Vernon Wilcox, “just because there is a VFL park there”.
But the real death knell for any hope of the ground being expanded to the original grand designs came in the early 1980s when the government knocked back planning permits for the league to expand the ground from its then capacity of 72,000 to more than 102,000 to cater for the 1984 Grand Final.
Key government figures, including premier John Cain, were pro-MCC supporters and did not want the biggest game of the year moved from the MCG. “There was just so much politics,” former VFL president Dr Allen Aylett told the Herald Sun in 2009. “People say Waverley was an iceberg and was never popular; it was popular, but it was never given a good go.”
Super stadium that never was
TO MOST footy fans, there’s nothing in sport that rivals the MCG on grand final day.www.news.com.au
Bit more on the John Cain involvement
Grandstanding aside, we now boast: that's Melbourne, with a capital 'G'
Once again, an AFL grand final has drawn a massive crowd to the MCG in what is arguably the biggest sports day of the year in a city that prides itself on such occasions. The last day in September rivals the first Tuesday in November as a day that stops the city, if not the nation.www.smh.com.au
And from Wikipedia
The original plans were for a stadium catering for up to 157,000 patrons, which would have made it one of the biggest stadiums in the world. To accommodate the large number of patrons the members' stand was to be extended around the whole ground. However, in 1982 and/or 1983 when the extensions were due to commence, the Government of Victoria (led by Victorian Premier John Cain, who was a member of the Melbourne Cricket Club) refused to approve the plans for the upgrade because it would have threatened the Melbourne Cricket Ground's (MCG) right to host the VFL Grand Final (the league-owned VFL Park had originally been built with the intent of replacing the MCG as the permanent home of the grand final, but the Victorian government, with interests in the MCG, refused to allow its capacity upgrade). Hence, no further development ever occurred and the capacity was set at just over 100,000 patrons (later reduced to 72,000).[3]
I don't really disagree with any of this, it is just that before John Cain decided that VFL Park with a 150K capacity and hosting the Grand Final was not going to happen, there was plenty of resistance to VFL Park.
There is a reason it was called arctic park, it was bloody cold. Also rains more out there. Plus the playing area was just too big and too far away from the spectators.
Not to mention too far away from civilisation.
I particularly liked this quote from that HUN story:
You want congested roads, stick a huge stadium out on the edge of the city and see what happens. If that place ever had over 100K in it you would have been waiting hours to get out. The whole idea that you can have a massive stadium with no heavy rail or at least very substantial public transport was stupid then and is stupid now.
Similar situation with Tullamarine Airport - this idea that you can get everyone there and back, in huge numbers, with a freeway. It simply does not work.
I would have an easier time getting to Mulgrave from where I live and I lived in a similar location as a kid but it was a nightmare.
Great idea to build their own stadium, great idea to have such massive capacity and I've always thought it a pity we never got the 150K stadium. But, bad design and wrong location are what really killed it.
DS
Many would disagree that it was the "wrong Location". The major problem was dispersal of the crowds after a match.
The original plan was for there to be a railway line from Huntingdale (I think it was) & the Belgrave line, with a station right at the entrance to the ground.
But successive state Governments refused to implement the project. (We're still waiting for the Rowville rail line to be implemented).
As for the "Arctic Park" thing, I've been at many footy matches at many grounds in both VFL/AFL eras & believe me Waverley was no worse than ANY of them including the MCG.
There was a concerted campaign by the AFL & Kennett Govt. to get Waverley Park sold off to enable the Shonky Stadium to be built at Docklands.
The fact that that grounds capacity is too small & has been built facing the wrong direction, indicates that it was not properly thought through.
I wonder who benefited most from the "sale" of Waverley, certainly not the clubs or the general football public.
Don't disagree with a lot of what you say, although Mulgrave is colder and the rainfall is higher in the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne.
They should have built it further in and near a railway station. The location of the MCG is a brilliant accident of history, right between 2 railway corridors and only one stop from the city where all the train lines go. You can actually get on the train and be out of there even with a huge crowd. Even Docklands is a good location, pity about the other issues (did they not understand the Sun is North of us??). Docklands was a good idea, but the AFL are amazing at how they don't think things through (see the recent rule changes). Could play some finals there if it was maybe 75K capacity, and could play with the roof open if they had actually thought of where the Sun will be in the afternoon.
The VFL Park sell off? Yeah, didn't help anyone except shonky developers and their political mates.
DS
So AFL deliberately sold Waverley at an under market price at Kennets orders to aid shonky developers?
I detest the MPs pwho live in inner city areas and claim to be in touch with their outer suburban constituents.
If anyone is so inclined, there is a change.org petition to have the RFC include an RFC Museum in the new redevelopment. Personally I'm not sure what I think about it.
Petition · Reverse the decision to not include a Museum in the new RFC Punt Rd development. · Change.org
Petition · Reverse the decision to not include a Museum in the new RFC Punt Rd development. · Change.org
There is going to be Museum at some point in the redevelopment as far as I am aware, Peggy talked about it at the AGM.
They should ask Gil to oversee it..... 99.9% sure the attached debacle was his and he was a stakeholder along with his brother..... Zero conflict of interest mind you
AFL Hall of Fame in administration
I notice the Cats have secured $142 squillion to complete alphabet stadium. .... I suppose a big whack of that is for mobility infrastructure!
We need to get more old blokes on the list for a handout.
We need to get more old blokes on the list for a handout.
I was listening to my local radio station and Peggy was being interviewed. They asked her many questions. But what stuck out was she was asked her priority for Richmond. Peggy said another premiership. We don’t get tired of winning those.
But the other was was the Punt Road Redevelopment. Peggy said she has given Brendan that main strategic role and they are very busy getting all the required permits. And she hope it’s ready in the next 2 to 3 years.
Peggy was also asked which NFL team she supported. She said none. But she did go to college at Virgina Tech. She forwarded the YouTube video of their pregame to the clubs management and said this is fan engagement. Anyway it was a great interview. She is a legend.
But the other was was the Punt Road Redevelopment. Peggy said she has given Brendan that main strategic role and they are very busy getting all the required permits. And she hope it’s ready in the next 2 to 3 years.
Peggy was also asked which NFL team she supported. She said none. But she did go to college at Virgina Tech. She forwarded the YouTube video of their pregame to the clubs management and said this is fan engagement. Anyway it was a great interview. She is a legend.
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College football and college sports generally is insane. People follow it for life, and many don't care about the pro-leagues at all.
Good US friend of mine really into basketball, but said the NBA has too many games and basically it's not worth watching until the playoffs, college ball is more interesting tactically and more pure. He went to UNC Chapel Hill so his team is the Tar Heels, their football team that Peggie's Virginia Tech was playing in this video.
hey MB, what was the station you listened to - I wouldn’t mind listening to it.
Loved the energy in the pre game, just simple riffs really - better than the Port song
Hampden League Live 3YB lockdown special show. 94.50fm. Not sure if they will replay the interview.
