Redleg

I just realized I am in a pretty unique situation in this project. I am a MFC member of about 50 years and former Executive Director of the Club, among other roles. I am a Life Governor and member of the Foundation of Mt. Scopus College, with grand children attending the school. I am not a former student, as I went to Melbourne High School, which I am incidentally also a Life member of the MHSOBA ( the old boys association ). I am also a member of the MRC and part owner of racehorses, including one running in the last race at Caulfield this saturday, which I hope doesn't " clam up " ( a hint as to which horse ). I will see if I can engage any of the Committee for some info on Saturday, in the winner's room hopefully, after winning the last race.🤞

An appropriate photo, as I had brunch with Mrs. Redleg at the Salem's cafe in Brighton this morning.

Could we change it to, "they are training the Vet Clinic down."

But Collingwood want Goschs, so I imagine he would be getting a call from his mates. They wouldn’t be happy if he stopped them getting Goschs.

Collingwood want Goschs, so they would be pushing Caulfield for us.

Correct and the Government control the Trust. That may be their preferred position, but we are talking about a race club use, that would be about a dozen days, when they use the track and we won’t train there at those times obviously. Can’t have footballs flying into race fields. The rest of the year the area is a barren unused tip.

I wrote about a year and a half ago, based on info, that this MFC project at Caulfield would happen and that because Crown Land was involved, it had to have community involvement and benefit. Nothing has changed. The land the school has bought, would otherwise have gone to property developers, like at the Northern end of the Racecourse, as it was always the plan, once horse training ceased, that it would be sold by the MRC. Far better for the MFC to have a school next door, than 1000's of apartments, which would have far less appeal to the MFC being a neighbour of Apartment towers, with all the traffic restrictions and other issues etc. I think the MFC will be delighted with how this has transpired as you can read into the club release. The club should get exactly what it wants and this new scenario helps that happen, as the Government is now behind the project and that was always very important to the MFC in getting the go ahead from the Trust, the manager of the Crown Land required by the MFC .

And with his penchant for holding on to the bell rope, was in fact the first recorded swinger.

I really don't understand what you are getting at. The MFC builds their facilities on Crown land, with probably a 99 year lease. They then control their area. How can someone then take it and for what purpose? The school is purchasing a freehold area, which will in all likelihood be fenced off. That will be their facility. They are separate and legally controlled. Do you think the kinder kids are going to stage a sit in, in the MFC admin building?

Its a fair bit of soil in Caulfield and in years to come, as with all purchases of land, won't sound so expensive.

No, Mt Scopus will get what they pay for and that is not the area wanted by the MFC. The MFC will get what they want, which is completely separate and distinct from what the school will have. As has been said before, the MFC is probably going to lease Crown Land from the Trust and that has nothing to do with the school site. Believe it or not.

I can assure you they don't. What they have are two campuses they own and a community prepared to fundraise to assist, but in the end the bank will be a big part of this facility, much like the MFC facilities I would imagine, given the large estimate floated about the MFC cost of getting it all done.

And you would also be very well aware that the school has a very long and strong relationship with a major bank and they I would expect, would assist with a very competitive interest rate, even though that would still be a large amount. Not sure why any neighbours would therefore be worried, other than having a school opposite their homes, instead of disused stables where the rats and foxes are probably having a field day.

Depends on what they get for their other two campuses that they own, but they will be borrowing a fair bit for sure and the bridging loan for getting the place bought and built will be enormous.

I will do some more investigation with the MRC Committee, if my horse Vongole accepts for Caulfield saturday. The students and Dees memberships are a good idea, as many of them live in the apartments overlooking the racecourse, built on the former car parks, once owned by the MRC.

I really like your posts.

And we have already lost the first game next year too. Gee!

Let's start with increased community use of Crown land that they don't own, the chance of getting more members by an affiliation with the MFC and more people interested in racing, a more attractive area than currently exists, greater use of their facilities and services like events, functions, catering, exams, all of which provides them with income, just to name a few benefits. I can already see an MFC day at the races, with races named after Dees champions, where all MFC members enter for free, with lots of attractions and specialty food stalls, with food named after Dees players and discounted MRC memberships being sold to MFC members and then a Dees home game at the G where the MRC members get free entry, along with some of the stuff above etc, etc, etc.

No cheque, they have an option to buy and need to raise funds and sell their other school properties. This is driven by the State Government, who want their campus in Burwood for a Deakin extension and transport hub. The school has spent a lot of money developing that Burwood campus and are actually moving when they don't have to, but as a result are looking at a new facility, with 3 campuses combined, which is what they were asked to examine, as I said, by the State Government. As an aside, the MRC stuffed up big time with their new mounting yard and are close to $200m in debt. The land could have been sold to developers, who might have stopped the football club proposal with their developments and as a result had no community use. This is actually a benefit to Victorians with the Burwood sale, the school getting a combined and new junior and senior school campus close to where many of their students live, a benefit to the racing industry with the MRC not selling Sandown to pay the MRC debt, a new base for the MFC hopefully and more community use of facilities and improvements to the areas of the racecourse and surrounds, where people atm can't walk in or utilise the area. PS: The MRC has already sold off the carparks on the Northern side to developers and they have been developed into hundreds of apartments, that essentially have no wider community use whatsoever, unless you frequent the Coles in the shopping centre or the sushi shop.

If Andy's map is correct there is no problem and there was always going to be a mix of community use and excess land sale, to get the MRC out of their $195m hole. If Andy's map is incorrect, please look to the south east corner of the racetrack and you will see the vacant Freedman/Little stable area, which is bigger than the area in Andy's map shown as MFC. I think this might be a better parcel than the one we were originally looking at, if it falls through, as it is a bigger more regular and easier to use shape and would only need the boys to cross the track at the back, to get to the ovals from the admin and training buildings and that area would accommodate quite a few of them. The MFC only need enough land for a couple of buildings and I think the west side is crown land while the south east might be freehold or more crown land. This might be the plan all along, as the school has been negotiating for over a year after the Caulfield Hospital site fell through and the State Government has been pushing the move as they want the school's Burwood campus to extend Deakin University. Both the school and the MFC have been in this for a year and would well know what each is seeking.

We must be a very good club to clear 2 Best and Fairests and a Premiership player in the same off season.

And we are lovers of the " general vibe" here on DL.

Another great post. Keep them coming.

I can tell you in one single point how the 2nd highest goal kicker in the history of AFL got 90% of his goals and here it is: “when he saw his team mate with the ball, he led away from him, not to him and the ball was passed in front of him as he jogged in for an easy chest mark.” I agree it is not rocket science, just utilising your assets, with a few basic plays. The chaos goals can still be scored occasionally.

I tend to agree. Can certainly get some possessions, but can be very poor with his use of them.