Training Ground?

[old dee 23,791]

42 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

No one is going to allow us to enclose open space to establish a training ground.

Port Melbourne Oval if it can be acquired is one possibility.

The other area is down around where the now defunct Big Wheel is located

DJ have you been there it is Small?

[Diamond_Jim 12,588]

30 minutes ago, old dee said:

DJ have you been there it is Small?

Been there a few times... there's room to expand.. more than the Tigers have at Punt Road

Few options really

[Supreme_Demon 3,851]

I thought about Brunswick Street Oval as an option. I still see it as the spiritual home of the old Fitzroy Football Club. I dunno if it would feel right. It would be a bit like moving into Lakeside Oval in Albert Park where the old South Melbourne Football Club used to play.

Sadly moving to Brunswick Street Oval would face the same opposition as the plans for Jolimont Station/Yarra Park which were proposed and shut down by the Government and East Melbourne residents.

If this was the 1960s or 1970s it could of been built in that area with no problem. But we live in different times now.

In the inner City there are unfortunately too many NIMBYs (Not In My Back Yard) types who have their on prerogatives and don't have any interest in the Melbourne Football Club. I am sure some barrack for Melbourne but not enough to change community opinion.

It greatly annoys me that Eddie McGuire and Collingwood snuck in and took the Olympic Park area in 2005. I think we were originally offered it around 2000(?) but former Melbourne President Joe Gutnick declined. This also had to do with the fact that we just didn't have the funds to afford to build our home base back then.

Being at Junction Oval (St. Kilda's old home ground for many years until they moved to Moorabbin) was adequate for the 1980s but the facilities there were mediocre. We have all heard the stories of the possum droppings and other poor maintenance issues at Junction Oval. How we made the finals using that place really is beyond my comprehension. To think the MCC leased it to us for 30 years and then a few years after we move out to go to AAMI Park it goes to Cricket Victoria and gets a multi-million dollar upgrade. Wow! Gee....thanks for that MCC! 😒

I will never give up on the Melbourne Football Club having a new home base built. Hypothetically, if I was a billionaire and had the money I would build it myself no matter what the cost. But that isn't the case.

The MCC has really screwed us over in many ways for decades. If you even look at  the way they treated us when we were a subsection of the MCC they barely gave us any money to recruit players and we were constantly kicked off the MCG when it came to Pre-Season training. The Melbourne Football Club was basically the unwanted step-child of the MCC.

To think that in the 1950s and early 1960s we helped make the MCG not just the home of cricket, which is already was, but also the home of Australian Rules Football.

We should be the wealthiest and most resourced Club in the AFL. But the MCC would rather just spend $1 billion on upgrading the Shane Warne/Great Southern Stand and ignore us.

But yeah, I am definitely very angry at how the MCC has treated us in recent times.

All we can do is continue to raise this matter with the Melbourne Football Club board and make sure that our home base gets built eventually!

Edited September 8, 2022 by Supreme_Demon

[MadAsHell 4,212]

32 minutes ago, Supreme_Demon said:

I thought about Brunswick Street Oval as an option. I still see it as the spiritual home of the old Fitzroy Football Club. I dunno if it would feel right. It would be a bit like moving into Lakeside Oval in Albert Park where the old South Melbourne Football Club used to play.

Sadly moving to Brunswick Street Oval would face the same opposition as the plans for Jolimont Station/Yarra Park which were proposed and shut down by the Government and East Melbourne residents.

If this was the 1960s or 1970s it could of been built in that area with no problem. But we live in different times now.

In the inner City there are unfortunately too many NIMBYs (Not In My Back Yard) types who have their on prerogatives and don't have any interest in the Melbourne Football Club. I am sure some barrack for Melbourne but not enough to change community opinion.

It greatly annoys me that Eddie McGuire and Collingwood snuck in and took the Olympic Park area in 2005. I think we were originally offered it around 2000(?) but former Melbourne President Joe Gutnick declined. This also had to do with the fact that we just didn't have the funds to afford to build our home base back then.

Being at Junction Oval (St. Kilda's old home ground for many years until they moved to Moorabbin) was adequate for the 1980s but the facilities there were mediocre. We have all heard the stories of the possum droppings and other poor maintenance issues at Junction Oval. How we made the finals using that place really is beyond my comprehension. To think the MCC leased it to us for 30 years and then a few years after we move out to go to AAMI Park it goes to Cricket Victoria and gets a multi-million dollar upgrade. Wow! Gee....thanks for that MCC! 😒

I will never give up on the Melbourne Football Club having a new home base built. Hypothetically, if I was a billionaire and had the money I would build it myself no matter what the cost. But that isn't the case.

The MCC has really screwed us over in many ways for decades. If you even look at  the way they treated us when we were a subsection of the MCC they barely gave us any money to recruit players and we were constantly kicked off the MCG when it came to Pre-Season training. The Melbourne Football Club was basically the unwanted step-child of the MCC.

To think that in the 1950s and early 1960s we helped make the MCG not just the home of cricket, which is already was, but also the home of Australian Rules Football.

We should be the wealthiest and most resourced Club in the AFL. But the MCC would rather just spend $1 billion on upgrading the Shane Warne/Great Southern Stand and ignore us.

But yeah, I am definitely very angry at how the MCC has treated us in recent times.

All we can do is continue to raise this matter with the Melbourne Football Club board and make sure that our home base gets built eventually!

I get what you're saying. My view point is that Fitzroy are essentially dead these day and Brisbane do little to nothing to keep their connection going, unlike Sydney with South Melbourne.

As for the not in my back yard types comment, I agree there's plenty of them in that area (I lived there for a short while). All I'd say is we'd just need to look to make it as community friendly as possible. That's the best way to appeal to the lot in that area.

1 hour ago, Diamond_Jim said:

No one is going to allow us to enclose open space to establish a training ground.

Port Melbourne Oval if it can be acquired is one possibility.

The other area is down around where the now defunct Big Wheel is located

We would only need it enclosed during game day times for the purposes of ticketing. Otherwise like Waverley currently or even Gosch's Paddock, it would be open for anyone to walk through as they currently do. The selling point of the development would be about improving the facility. Community Centre near the original entrance, do up the old Grand Stand removing the squatters and all new buildings to be built with a retro finish to fit into the area. It would also involve new Tennis Courts and club being built up near the North playground which is good for them and improved facilities at Alfred Crescent Oval which again is good for the Cricket Club.

[Kick_It_To_Pickett 3,293]

2 hours ago, daisycutter said:

a shoebox ground on a shoebox plot

Whilst that is true, there is a lot of land behind the oval, daisy. It would be easy to expand the surface. There is green space on all sides. However, you cannot tear down the pavilion, as it is subject to heritage overlay. You’d need to do a deal with the tennis or bowls club. The actual location is perfect, given it is in the middle of Edinburgh Gardens. However, I just can’t see the council agreeing to it. In saying that, if it was to become the home of women’s football, you may get more support. That would be the sell. There are a lot of female community teams in that area. I grew up in North Fitzroy and love the idea of it being there, but can never see it happening, despite it being the last inner city location that ticks almost every box. I also believe that being there would help the club attract a new generation of supporters. We are a boutique club who could build a boutique supporter base of hipster supporters who may not have football teams. 

[MadAsHell 4,212]

18 minutes ago, Kick_It_To_Pickett said:

Whilst that is true, there is a lot of land behind the oval, daisy. It would be easy to expand the surface. There is green space on all sides. However, you cannot tear down the pavilion, as it is subject to heritage overlay. You’d need to do a deal with the tennis or bowls club. The actual location is perfect, given it is in the middle of Edinburgh Gardens. However, I just can’t see the council agreeing to it. In saying that, if it was to become the home of women’s football, you may get more support. That would be the sell. There are a lot of female community teams in that area. I grew up in North Fitzroy and love the idea of it being there, but can never see it happening, despite it being the last inner city location that ticks almost every box. I also believe that being there would help the club attract a new generation of supporters. We are a boutique club who could build a boutique supporter base of hipster supporters who may not have football teams. 

Great post.

The Tennis Club is the one that would need to make way and also makes the most sense. They're still on the old onticar tennis courts which are fast being removed and replaced with the Plexicushion courts, so it would make sense to help them on their way. The space where the courts currently are could be used for a carpark and buildings.

And you're right, if we could turn Brunswick Street Oval into one of the premier AFLW grounds, it would really appeal to the community there.

[BangBnagBang 694]

19 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

No one is going to allow us to enclose open space to establish a training ground.

Port Melbourne Oval if it can be acquired is one possibility.

The other area is down around where the now defunct Big Wheel is located

The better options are just down the road from Port oval. Plenty of room for two ovals and training/admin building. The option on the left is currenlty Melb grammer so a partnership $$ would be an option.

[kev martin 9,892]

We really have done nothing. Back to the start when we discuss areas. 

Has Como park been brought up?

[daisycutter 29,616]

no-one has mentioned kings park or fitzroy gardens

[Kick_It_To_Pickett 3,293]

5 minutes ago, kev martin said:

We really have done nothing. Back to the start when we discuss areas. 

Has Como park been brought up?

It has a beautiful new surface. Just underwent resurfacing. Perfect size. In MFC heartland. Again, no parking. Council that probably wouldn't cooperate. Toorak Park was a better option, but we went away from the idea in pursuit of somewhere in the MCG precinct 

[Stiff Arm 4,419]

2 minutes ago, daisycutter said:

no-one has mentioned kings park or fitzroy gardens

Royal Botanic Gardens? Plenty of space there for 2 or 3 ovals

[old dee 23,791]

4 minutes ago, Kick_It_To_Pickett said:

It has a beautiful new surface. Just underwent resurfacing. Perfect size. In MFC heartland. Again, no parking. Council that probably wouldn't cooperate. Toorak Park was a better option, but we went away from the idea in pursuit of somewhere in the MCG precinct 

I don't agree we looked at Toorak park and it was too small. 

[Gorgoroth 12,954]

5 minutes ago, Stiff Arm said:

Royal Botanic Gardens? Plenty of space there for 2 or 3 ovals

Flatten that out nicely! Build a exclusive MFC bridge with monorail for the players to be shuttled back and forth to the MCG where the rooms are. Problem solved.

[daisycutter 29,616]

pity herring island is just a tad too small

[old dee 23,791]

There a couple of  facts involved in finding a home all close to G venues i.e. Toorak park etc.  are too small, they have been investigated in the past. We will not get park land used for us. The 0nly hope is around the sporting precinct of Olympic / park / tennis area. As it looks  this is very difficult if not impossible we are then faced with a  green field site in docklands or future out in the suburbs.

While we have a board welded to the G area none of those is going to happen any time soon. Get used to using Goschs,  Casey and a seperate area for admin. For a long time.

 

Edited September 9, 2022 by old dee

[Demon Dynasty 17,109]

I seem to recall the Junction oval was brought up ages ago and killed off yes?

[old dee 23,791]

2 minutes ago, Demon Dynasty said:

I seem to recall the Junction oval was brought up ages ago and killed off yes?

Vic cricket has it as home base. 

Edited September 9, 2022 by old dee

[layzie 33,805]

Gee you'd think finding an area in the Melbourne precint is difficult or something. 

[old dee 23,791]

13 minutes ago, layzie said:

Gee you'd think finding an area in the Melbourne precint is difficult or something. 

It is when you exude every site in the state bar one.

[daisycutter 29,616]

15 minutes ago, layzie said:

Gee you'd think finding an area in the Melbourne precint is difficult or something. 

the way the cbd is going it will soon be largely deserted and we might even get a prime plot on swanston st 😂

[layzie 33,805]

3 minutes ago, daisycutter said:

the way the cbd is going it will soon be largely deserted and we might even get a prime plot on swanston st 😂

Fair point! The state library has some grass to start us off with!

[deelusions from afar 1,810]

This has been going on so long that I've lost track.  They are obviously re-doing Gosch's Paddock and we have our facilities etc there at Aami park.

What's the problem with it currently?  Is it:

1. that we are sharing our facilities with other teams? i.e. what we have at Aami park is too small / compromised?
2. that we can't have closed training sessions? Plenty of teams eg North don't have this
3. there isn't a social club attached to it? 
4. that our administration are separate (at the MCG)?
5. Something else

[Demon Dynasty 17,109]

What about the Old Scotsch Football Club / Camberwell Sportsground in Camberwell?

[kev martin 9,892]

This area, burnley golf course (closed at the moment, according to google maps), loughlan oval, Burnley oval, 

Edited September 9, 2022 by kev martin

[Supreme_Demon 3,851]

Ideally I would like something quite large built around Gosch's Paddock.

If you can imagine it...basically...I would love to see a massive red and dark blue building extending from Carpark F next to AAMI Park over to that triangle area connecting Citylink exits with Punt Road.

It could easily house our home base for the Melbourne Football Club with all the facilities we would need. I don't think building either over or under the roads near the Citylink exits would be a problem either

Here is a map showing the area I am talking about.

https://static.wixstatic.com/media/0b0b9b_edcf73dc906842f4904573e60fb39b93~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_640,h_500,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/0b0b9b_edcf73dc906842f4904573e60fb39b93~mv2.png

The bigger issue would be getting permission to get the building constructed and the overall costs. Finding the money to get it constructed is the more serious challenge. It would easily cost $100+ million to get the home base built.

Edited September 9, 2022 by Supreme_Demon