1 minute ago, demoncat said:

Wow - more in this article than we’ve heard from any stakeholder in years

Unfortunately it doesn’t inspire much faith in the board though

I’m not sure why the broadly agreed upon option of sharing the facility with MRC isn’t suitable. Yes it would be preferable to have our own facility but if that means killing the project (due to the tunnel issue) then surely we go back to the initially agreed plan?

If the club lets this opportunity slip because they’re too pig headed to compromise then they all deserve to be turfed out

Couldn’t agree more. Pig headedness over a [censored] tunnel. We have been crying out for this for decades.

Could be worse though, I could get an email from the club asking me to amend my will.

3 minutes ago, DistrACTION Jackson said:

Good read, though I’m not sure what Betsy is?

One thought on the tunnel, perhaps the answer is a type of electronic bridge that can automatically go up and down depending if racing is on. In 2026 surely that is an option?

Betsy is a racing media company. So it makes sense they would take the racing clubs side.

But if this is correct, and the Board can't or won't get this done, they should all resign

13 minutes ago, Mickey said:

Betsy is a racing media company. So it makes sense they would take the racing clubs side.

But if this is correct, and the Board can't or won't get this done, they should all resign

Ahhh ok. It did feel very racing focused, so that makes sense.

But yes, I hope our board are being practical with this given a home base is the most important thing we need to sort out. If we lose it due to small little changes etc then heads should roll.

Re the tunnel, how about we get in there first and start building goodwill with everyone and then we can explore down the track even?

How does building a walking tunnel under track mean its closed for a year?? The article feels very lopsided.

I'm no engineer, but I can't for the life of me see why construction of a tunnel would mean no racing for a year no matter how it was done.

But if true, how about an overpass - extra exercise for the players going up and down.

18 minutes ago, sue said:

I'm no engineer, but I can't for the life of me see why construction of a tunnel would mean no racing for a year no matter how it was done.

But if true, how about an overpass - extra exercise for the players going up and down.

I think an overpass would have sight and shading issues for racehorses.

As I heard a while ago, the “ tunnel” was the real live issue and this article seems to corroborate that.

I thought it could be resolved fairly easily.

I note Beelzebub who seems to know about construction , said a tunnel could be completed in a few weeks and during a non racing period at Caulfield, so no inconvenience to the MRC.

I agree with another poster to get it approved without the tunnel and explore matting, a portable bridge or electric one, or whatever later on, but just get it done. Even ensuring players crossing the track in a sort of wider area, not all in a small lane, would ensure no damage to the track, especially if the crossing was done in runners or bare feet when dry. It is already used by people walking the track.

If this is the real holdup, then find a solution.

Man has landed on the moon.

Edited February 20Feb 20 by Redleg

As iterated Mars 2349 seems feasible, I'm now calling Caulfield over and outski! Back to the drawing board!

48 minutes ago, sue said:

I'm no engineer, but I can't for the life of me see why construction of a tunnel would mean no racing for a year no matter how it was done.

But if true, how about an overpass - extra exercise for the players going up and down.

Prefab cut and cover 6 weeks max

6 yrs if Cfmeu are involved

49 minutes ago, Kent said:

6 yrs if Cfmeu are involved

And don't forget the brown paper bags and ferraris

2 hours ago, Redleg said:

I think an overpass would have sight and shading issues for racehorses.

As I heard a while ago, the “ tunnel” was the real live issue and this article seems to corroborate that.

I thought it could be resolved fairly easily.

I note Beelzebub who seems to know about construction , said a tunnel could be completed in a few weeks and during a non racing period at Caulfield, so no inconvenience to the MRC.

I agree with another poster to get it approved without the tunnel and explore matting, a portable bridge or electric one, or whatever later on, but just get it done. Even ensuring players crossing the track in a sort of wider area, not all in a small lane, would ensure no damage to the track, especially if the crossing was done in runners or bare feet when dry. It is already used by people walking the track.

If this is the real holdup, then find a solution.

Man has landed on the moon.

I think the tunnel issue is surely solvable, although I am no expert. Surely there is a way to get it done without closing the track for anything like one year! Negotiation via media in play perhaps? :-)

It does seem a bit laughable (to this [censored] anyway) that the racing people can be precious about players walking on a track that horses race on ...

3 hours ago, DistrACTION Jackson said:

Good read, though I’m not sure what Betsy is?

One thought on the tunnel, perhaps the answer is a type of electronic bridge that can automatically go up and down depending if racing is on. In 2026 surely that is an option?

What I took from the article was that Betsy works for or represents the MRC. Absolute slop journalism if you can even call it journalism.

36 minutes ago, Red and Bluebeard said:

It does seem a bit laughable (to this [censored] anyway) that the racing people can be precious about players walking on a track that horses race on ...

In metal horseshoes.

I read that as MRC want more $$$ from the Government

12 months of no racing while building a pedestrian tunnel under the track, is just ridiculous.

1 minute ago, Redleg said:

12 months of no racing while building a pedestrian tunnel under the track, is just ridiculous.

It is, do they think they are building the Burnley tunnel MK2?

They build under passes at train stations in a short amount of time.

I'm sure our tunnel would be similar.

5 minutes ago, Gorgoroth said:

It is, do they think they are building the Burnley tunnel MK2?

They build under passes at train stations in a short amount of time.

I'm sure our tunnel would be similar.

Agree.

It’s probably a 25 to 30 metre long by 3 metre wide pedestrian tunnel.

Edited February 20Feb 20 by Redleg

Yeah that doesn’t read well for the future of any move

33 minutes ago, Redleg said:

Agree.

It’s probably a 25 to 30 metre long by 3 metre wide pedestrian tunnel.

The only thing that could make it a little harder is if they wanted it sloped, no stairs and wide enough to take a cart through. But even then that’s prob not really harder, just different.

Casey looking better and better.

2 hours ago, Gorgoroth said:

It is, do they think they are building the Burnley tunnel MK2?

They build under passes at train stations in a short amount of time.

I'm sure our tunnel would be similar.

Caulfield Cup will have replacement greyhounds during this period.

Surely a retractable overpass or some type of protective mats during training times could be used. It’s not rocket surgery.

2 hours ago, Redleg said:

12 months of no racing while building a pedestrian tunnel under the track, is just ridiculous.

They're building a train tunnel under Box Hill and so far we haven't been closed down or asked to move...

30 minutes ago, dice said:

And don't forget the brown paper bags and ferraris

1 hour ago, Redleg said:

12 months of no racing while building a pedestrian tunnel under the track, is just ridiculous.

yep, three things missing/wrong from extremely biased report

1. It's not just mfc who want a south-east pedestrian tunnel. the local council strategic plan has had such a tunnel in their planning before the mfc became interested

2. suggestions of closing the track for 12 months are just laughable

3. the statement of a pedestrian tunnel costing $10m is likewise laughable. This is not a "big build" project.

If we are at this crossroad after 2 years of negotiations, then it all seems fairly flimsy to me. It wouldn’t take 12 months to build a short tunnel.

Road Construction Companies can build a short tunnel over a weekend with the right equipment.

It’s clear the MRC are not interested in having the MFC as a neighbour.

Edited February 20Feb 20 by 3KZ is Football

27 minutes ago, daisycutter said:

  3 hours ago, Redleg said:

12 months of no racing while building a pedestrian tunnel under the track, is just ridiculous.

Is Andy Dufresne digging it with a teaspoon??