Demons Grand Plan for Yarra Park Training HQ

[beelzebub 23,383]

Governments seem very keen on selling the air space above rail these days.

I like the gist of this proposal. Puts us backnear where we belong.

Go you good Dees

[Dr. Gonzo 24,332]

2 hours ago, DV8 said:

Jolimont suits the well heeled, who take taxis everywhere, and do not travel on metro trains.

 

Jolimont suits the well-heeled but Toorak, Bentleigh, Elsternwick etc doesn't 

[Dr. Gonzo 24,332]

1 hour ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Not even Yarra Park is good enough for Deeluded. 

Now we will have 10 years of long winded essays that say very little. 

Jolimont is fantastic if we can build our own place there

Short walk to the Hilton for after match beverages....

Too close to the northern stand swyl, need to get a place SOUTH of the G.

 

And with a social club.

[DemonWheels 1,092]

Fantastic idea and proposition – well done MFC!

I can understand critics suggesting that it won't get through the necessary red tape due to protests by those that believe any development will 'ruin the park'. But, in my view that 'park' is really just a glorified car park for most of the year – it could do with some work to polish it up a bit and make it more accessible and ensure it is used more than it currently is. For the amount of land Yarra Park consumes it has nowhere near the amount of users compared to other inner city parks such as Botanical Gardens (The Tan), Fitzroy Gardens, Birrarung Marr, etc.

Given there are no buildings added to the park itself I think this shows how well thought through this is from our end and increases the likelihood of the development going ahead.

[Clintosaurus 7,874]

48 minutes ago, hells bells said:

For those interested in Melbournian history, there used to be a ground near to the proposed site known as the East Melbourne Cricket Ground (1860-1921).

Oddly enough, I think Essendon played there in early years of the VFL.

[Matt Demon 1,484]

1 hour ago, timbo said:

It would beat the Royal.

I'm not so sure about that ?

[binman 43,836]

42 minutes ago, Cards13 said:

And the Demon shop which is currently a disaster to get to if you’re driving. 

I reckon they should keep the dees shop where it is. For old times sakes. Jokes.

[Dr. Gonzo 24,332]

1 hour ago, binman said:

Its a better location than the pies base in terms of access.

As close to Richmond station and indeed the Swan st tram route (75?),

There is a railway station right there that links to the north and city (and therefore the west).

Throw in the multiple Punt road bus routes and the fact it is only 10 min stroll though the gardens from parliament Station and it could not have better PT access options. 

You can also get the tram from Flinders St station right to the doorstep or a tram up Batman Ave from Richmond Station then down Flinders onto Wellington Pde.

[CBDees 3,167]

3 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

You can also get the tram from Flinders St station right to the doorstep or a tram up Batman Ave from Richmond Station then down Flinders onto Wellington Pde.

We can forget Richmond station and focus on travelling direct to Flinders Street Station. From there the #75 tram and the Epping and Hurstbridge Lines take you directly to our HQ!  

[Buffalo 203]

59 minutes ago, Clintosaurus said:

Oddly enough, I think Essendon played there in early years of the VFL.

Just had a look on Wikipedia, which had the following info on the East Melbourne Cricket Ground:

• East Melbourne Football Club, used the ground until it disbanded in mid 1882.
• Essendon Football Club. Despite the ground being 6 miles (10 km) away from the suburb of Essendon, the club moved to the ground in 1882 after East Melbourne vacated it, and used it in both the VFA and the VFL until its closure in 1921.
• North Melbourne Football Club, which used the ground during the 1897 VFA season due to upgrading works on its usual home ground, the Arden Street Oval.
• West Melbourne Football Club, which moved to the ground for the 1907 VFA season, and disbanded the following year.
• Melbourne University Football Club, which used it from 1908 to 1910 in the VFL; the club left the ground in 1911 following a dispute with Essendon over rent.
• The VFL held a final in the 1897 finals series and the 1900 Grand Final at the ground. The VFA also played the 1896 premiership playoff at East Melbourne.
• Melbourne City Football Club, which used it during its two years in the VFA, 1912 and 1913; Melbourne City lost all 36 matches it played in those two seasons.
• 30 VFA finals were played at the East Melbourne ground between 1903 and 1921.

So really, it deserves to be rebuilt....

 

[Dr. Gonzo 24,332]

2 hours ago, hells bells said:

For those interested in Melbournian history, there used to be a ground near to the proposed site known as the East Melbourne Cricket Ground (1860-1921).

I always thought the EMCG was in between Fed Square and Jolimont Terrace, where the raillines are now behind Birrarung Marr. This was Essendon's home ground until they moved to Windy Hill in the 20s.

 

 

EDIT - yep looks like I was right

http://www.boylesfootballphotos.net.au/East+Melbourne+Cricket+Ground

Edited June 20, 2018 by Dr. Gonzo

[hells bells 2,023]

Yep you are right Gonzo.  I did say “near to”.  ?

[Dr. Gonzo 24,332]

2 hours ago, Cards13 said:

And the Demon shop which is currently a disaster to get to if you’re driving. 

Even if you're not.

[Dr. Gonzo 24,332]

2 minutes ago, hells bells said:

Yep you are right Gonzo.  I did say “near to”.  ?

No worries, not trying to nitpick but I love the history of the game and the city so just wanted to clarify for my own benefit if nothing else

[Dr. Gonzo 24,332]

2 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

I can't imagine a max exodus from the MCC bars to pack in to a modern version of a social clubs, those days are long gone, but I can see the club offering post game drink invites to certain select members, most of whom have reserved seats in Northern Stand or are MCC members and it's the perfect location for that.

I've often thought extending over the Richmond rail corridor  near the tennis centre when the Southern Stand was redeveloped was our best chance to build an MCG adjacent facility. Jolimont is just as good and surely a simple proposition building over 2 rail lines instead of the 12 or so that run to Richmond!

The club has run promos with sponsors The Duke and Sporting Globe in the past so no reason why something similar couldn't happen here. Though a cafe with broccoli lattes and smashed avo on toast but go better in that neck of the woods.

This site has the added bonus of being completed within the decade vs the Richmond rail line which would be at least 15-20 years away if it ever happens.

[Dees_In_October 3,495]

Since we're going deep dive on this, here's the Victorian heritage database report on Yarra Park, for some light reading.

http://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/114751/download-report

As you can tell just by walking through there, the physical heritage listed (scarred trees, substation etc.) would not be (directly) impacted by the proposed site.

[Mazer Rackham 14,971]

2 hours ago, hells bells said:

For those interested in Melbournian history, there used to be a ground near to the proposed site known as the East Melbourne Cricket Ground (1860-1921).

History buffs! The East Melbourne cricket ground was closer to the CBD than this proposed site. It was at the SW corner of Wellington Parade South and Brunton Ave. Now housing.

Another way to work out where it was, is if you can imagine in a straightish line, roughly equal distances apart, Punt Rd oval, MCG, East Melb cricket ground.

Here be photo of an actual game. The houses in the background are on Brunton Ave (Jolimont Rd). The crowd there would nowadays be standing on the north bound lanes of Brunton Ave. The double storey houses are still there to this very day. Behind them (in the distance, not visible) is the MCG.

Pic itself was taken in 1896. The last match played in the VFA before 8 clubs broke away to form the VFL.

Edited June 20, 2018 by Mazer Rackham

[Mazer Rackham 14,971]

2 hours ago, Cards13 said:

And the Demon shop which is currently a disaster to get to if you’re driving. 

Yes, the drive through service is terrible. I've found it a lot easier to get out of the car and walk in.

[CBDees 3,167]

Just to clarify where we are talking about!

 

[Mazer Rackham 14,971]

13 minutes ago, CBDees said:

Just to clarify where we are talking about!

 

Someone's taking a hell of a screamer

[chookrat 4,268]

20 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

It's just not gonna happen unfortunately. Even if it did preseason would be an issue with the MCG hosting cricket

What if we were to just start training on it and when the cricket boys turn up tell thm to pi55 off? 

[Mazer Rackham 14,971]

4 minutes ago, chookrat said:

What if we were to just start training on it and when the cricket boys turn up tell thm to pi55 off? 

You'll never guess what happened when we used to train on the Junction Oval.

Spoiler: it ended in tears. One reason why we left there to find a home for us, a special place, a place where we could belong.

[daisycutter 29,746]

2 hours ago, Clintosaurus said:

Oddly enough, I think Essendon played there in early years of the VFL.

i thought the old east melbourne ground was much closer to the city in fact city side of jolimont residential

edit: oops, if i had read ahead i would have seen others had already covered this

Edited June 20, 2018 by daisycutter

[Roger Mellie 4,105]

3 hours ago, Cards13 said:

And the Demon shop which is currently a disaster to get to if you’re driving. 

It's actually dead easy and I've done it many times. You drive up to the underground carpark next to the shop. You tell the dude on the gate that you want to go to the Demon Shop and he says 'No worries, park right here.' .

[DeezNuts 624]

21 hours ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

What a sensational prospect.  A real 'Home'. 

Can we ever thank Peter Jackson enough.

If the proposal comes to be, I think PJ will go down as one of Melbourne's greatest leaders in history. There may be room for a 'PJ Wing' if he pulls it off!

As a kid, I always asked my Dad why Richmond's oval is 'right there', and last weekend at the QB match, walking past it after coming off the Richmond station, scooting past the Cricketer's Arms, and crossing Punt Road, gave me an uncomfortable feeling.

(Although, maybe it was the two drunken Collingwood fans that stammered in unintelligibly 'crissed as a picket' language, "carn' the wood, you'll be lucky to win Dees fans" - and, only to be correct...)

So, maybe it was that which made me uncomfortable?

(Nevertheless, I did respond by stating audibly that I still have my front teeth..!)

Ok, I digress...

I think it would be amazing if we had a home ground, so close to the hallowed turf, on my favourite side of the 'G'!

Fingers are definitely crossed...