Whitten Oval Redevelopment Consultation Meeting

[Bullyboy]

Not sure who else attended the meeting last night but a couple of interesting things came out. It really is an exciting redevelopment and will be a great community asset which includes much needed child minding facilities, cafe`, hall of fame for not only the Footscray FC but also local boxing history, etc. A 800 metre running track will encompass the facility and the much needed improvements to the clubs training and administration head quarters sounds like it will be second to none. Without trying to sound negative, an elderly chap had a signed Federal Government letter saying that the Whitten Oval Redevelopment will include a public gym, but there will not be one. At present over 100 train commuters use the Whitten Oval car park daily, this will cease. There will be a mix of permanent and temporary fencing around which is interesting and when I asked the question what does that mean because it is not clear on the master plans I was told they intend to have permanent fencing with large gates allowing access that can closed for events such as the WRFL Grand Finals and the likes. In another breath he stated that they want people to be able to walk across the ground from barkly street to access the West Footscray station, I was no more clearer about the fencing arrangements. Anyway, well done to Cam Rose and his team.

BTW, were there many of you out on the ground training last night, there looked some familiar faces out there.

[scooter600x]

I was at the meeting for a while but had to leave to play rec footy on the ground.

It was good to have it explained as to what was going to happen, but other than that it was pretty boring. Some locals had a whinge "we want a skate ramp", "we want more park land", "whinge, whinge, self-interest, whinge".

It does sound impressive, though. Where the turnstyles are - between the admin building and the Whitten stand - will be the new main entrance. The steps will be removed and the ground floor will be an open area from the street to the ground, on the same level. This will be the enterance foyer, open air cafe, membership, hall of fame and bigger and better bulldogs shop. The club admin will be on the upper levels.

The football dept will take over the refurbished Whitten stand. Later on a new players area will be built next to the Whitten stand. This will go right up to the playing arena fence to allow the players to be half-on, half-off the ground. This is to allow the players to combine warm-ups and drills rather than have half the group inside and the other half outside.

The area towards Cross street (past the bistro enterance) will be a basketball hall with four courts. This will be for the community but will be closed if the club is using it for training.

The Gent Stand will be refurbished and hold the community offices and reception rooms. The plan is to use the top level for functions and utilise the spectacular city views.

The VWFL and WSFL admins will be in the Gent Stand and both will hold their finals at the ground. Change rooms will be done up to accomondate them.

The playground will stay and the child-care centre will be next to it as a stand-alone building, seperate from the rest of the complex.

The 800m running track is for public use but has been made 800m because the club uses 3.2km as the standard time trial distance - 4 laps = time trial.

[Cyberdoggie]

any plans for any other footy matches i wonder?

ie practise games, or possible vfl games?


I'm guessing the redevelopements will make it difficult for such games. For instance i believe they were going to have parkland on the doug hawkins wing? is that still the case?

Did they mention what was to be built down on the geelong rd end goal area?
they would have to level that whole area out.

[~PC~]

hall of fame

A very smart, well respected, good looking, all round great guy once suggested this to a particular CEO who got on his horse and rode into the sunset, who was told it was a great idea and someone would one day get back to me about it. I'm particularly happy to see that it will finally happen.

Good work on the report Scooter.

[Bullyboy]

any plans for any other footy matches i wonder?

ie practise games, or possible vfl games?

NO MENTION OF ANY OTHER FOOTY MATCHES APART FROM THE WRFL & THE WOMENS FOOTY LEAGUE USING IT FOR FINALS


I'm guessing the redevelopements will make it difficult for such games. For instance i believe they were going to have parkland on the doug hawkins wing? is that still the case?

YES IT LOOKS LIKE GRASSY MOUNDS ON THE OLD HAWKINS WING WITH THE RUNNING TRACK

Did they mention what was to be built down on the geelong rd end goal area?
they would have to level that whole area out.

THEY MENTIONED THAT IT WILL NOT BE ECONOMICALLY VIABLE TO REMOVE ALL OF THE FILL AT THE GEELONG ROAD END SO I`M NOT SURE HOW MUCH IS GOING OR STAYING

[Guido]

Without trying to sound negative, an elderly chap had a signed Federal Government letter saying that the Whitten Oval Redevelopment will include a public gym, but there will not be one.
Disappointing. With the Footscray Pools gym closing, Vic Uni gym very undersized, Hyde st gym hopelessly outdated (and not having ONE freakin' treadmill that you can run on), this could have genuinely filled a need in the Footscray area, and probably have been a profitable exercise for the club.

I know a community consultation meeting wouldn't be the appropriate forum to outline it, but anyone have any word on where the "millions in extra revenue" will be generated? Other than the child care facilities and leasing a few offices, not many of the initiatives sound like they'll be money spinners. Some sound like they'll cost more than they'll make.

[Bullyboy]

Disappointing. With the Footscray Pools gym closing, Vic Uni gym very undersized, Hyde st gym hopelessly outdated (and not having ONE freakin' treadmill that you can run on), this could have genuinely filled a need in the Footscray area, and probably have been a profitable exercise for the club.

I know a community consultation meeting wouldn't be the appropriate forum to outline it, but anyone have any word on where the "millions in extra revenue" will be generated? Other than the child care facilities and leasing a few offices, not many of the initiatives sound like they'll be money spinners. Some sound like they'll cost more than they'll make.

Expect to hear more about the gym because as soon as the chap produced the Federal Govt letter, the project manager and architects were busy scribbling on their note pads and the guy does not look the type to leave it alone.

It was interesting that they kept on mentioning the WRFL and Womens Football league as tenants but being a current vice president of a WRFL club and attending the WRFL Season 2006 Pre-AGM, they said that they were in negotiations with Williamstown FC who are apparently spending $10,000,000 in upgrades at Point Gellibrand which will include aditional administration suites so the WRFL are looking at that or probably staying at the Yarraville Oval because of the expected tenancy cost at the Whitten Oval and the temporary fencing issue for finals.