Opinion New AFC HQ: Send in the Bulldozers! Thebarton is Happening!

[arrowman]

Any option that is to be split between two locations sounds less than ideal.

I disagree. This is something that is standard practice in other parts of the world e.g. the EPL. For example, Tottenham's training facility is in Enfield, about 12km or more from the stadium, and their admin and member-facing services are at the stadium. And I expect a lot of other clubs would be similar.

(Thebarton is about 5-6km from Rundle Mall.)

You might say "ah yes, but that's London, not little old Adelaide", but I would say the principles are the same.

The requirement for a training facility = land area, is non-negotiable and therefore by definition it is located outside the CBD. The requirement for admin and member-facing services is office space / shop front - and, I would argue, accessibility to the public. And much as Thebby is just a few klicks down the road, it's still less generally accessible to the public at large than the CBD.

Plus - maybe, I don't know - it might make more financial sense to lease space in the CBD than to build from scratch at Thebarton.

Provided the CBD office / supporter facing facility is top-notch and genuinely open to the supporters / public (not just an office with a reception desk), including some sort of cafe / hospitality etc, I would argue that members and supporters would be better served by a CBD facility than having to go to Thebarton.

That said, I take this point:

Totally agree. Division of sites leads to division amongst personnel, and fosters an us and them mentality.

But surely any properly run (no AFC jokes, please) organisation can deal with that. But it's not something to be ignored / taken for granted.

The whole point of this should be establishing a home our own. Not a compromised home that we share with with amateur footy at a location where the SANFL remains as our overlords.

On this I agree. Any facility at Thebarton must be 100% Adelaide Football Club in every respect.

 

[FR0GGY]

How are you imagining that they're splitting? Do you really think Denise from Finance needs to be on the same floor as Nicks' office?

No but at some point there’s crossovers.
And we aren’t just talking about different floors here.

 

[flashcrow]

But surely any properly run (no AFC jokes, please) organisation can deal with that. But it's not something to be ignored / taken for granted.

Just like thetrader15. I have worked for organisation with multi-sites and the culture has always suffered as a result. Mind you, I wouldn't say any of them were properly run.

 

[GameofSloanes]

I have to agree with you about Vic Park. Driving past each day, the place is a bit of wasteland underutilised area, particularly around the Southern end.

But then again, Adelaide City Council and all.

The ACC aren't even the biggest impediment. The APLA basically oppose everything, and are well connected to certain ACC members to ensure their voice overrides everything. Without them the parklands would be much more utilised.

 

[MRB37]

In the paper today that Olsen has gone back to the ACC to try and negotiate access to a different site in the Parklands.

 

[AFC3000]

In the paper today that Olsen has gone back to the ACC to try and negotiate access to a different site in the Parklands.

Just read the article online, referring to the nursery site.

I don't mind the site, not sure how comfortable I'd be with a training session along side the archery club leading into finals!

I'm guessing it's all a game at this point, playing groups off against each other to get the best deal.

 

[MRB37]

Just read the article online, referring to the nursery site.

I don't mind the site, not sure how comfortable I'd be with a training session along side the archery club leading into finals!

I'm guessing it's all a game at this point, playing groups off against each other to get the best deal.

If it's Park 10 we'd also need to negotiate with the University of Adelaide too?

 

[arrowman]

Just like thetrader15. I have worked for organisation with multi-sites and the culture has always suffered as a result. Mind you, I wouldn't say any of them were properly run.

I've seen some "us and them" and I guess there's always that risk - heck, even with different departments on different floors of the same building! but I'd be wanting to "back ourselves in" to manage it. I mean, if other major sporting clubs can do it... I just think there's an opportunity to establish a supporter-facing facility in the CBD (piggybacking on admin) and it should be under consideration.

 

[arrowman]

I don't mind the site, not sure how comfortable I'd be with a training session along side the archery club leading into finals!

Xavier Duursma likes this

 

[CrowsB4hoes]

Xavier Duursma likes this

Only when the under 15’s comp is on

 

[Eagleboy2011]

If it's Park 10 we'd also need to negotiate with the University of Adelaide too?

We could catch the Popeye to get to and from AO

 

[jackster83]

Just read the article online, referring to the nursery site.

I don't mind the site, not sure how comfortable I'd be with a training session along side the archery club leading into finals!

I'm guessing it's all a game at this point, playing groups off against each other to get the best deal.

Given our skills with a football in hand, I'd be more worried about the safety of the archery club.

 

[MRB37]

Do you think the talk of a split admin/training base could have been decided as a way to try and get back into the parklands? Saves space and obviously you don't need to use the parklands to house an admin base. So move the admin into the CBD (like the new office space being built by the Festival Centre) and the training facilities are only a short hop away. All 3 are within walking distance of each other and Adelaide Oval.

 

[pjcrows]

It needs to be in the city. The biggest no brainer of all time. Thebarton? May as well be at West Lakes.

 

[relapse]

The news about the nursery is interesting, now there's a potential option to be excited about.

Hopefully the club can make it happen.

Ultimately I just want something that's ours and ticks every "want" box.

Otherwise we may as well just stay at West Lakes. To be honest I'd prefer just putting it on hold for 5 years and staying at West Lakes if the only other option is going to Thebby.

 

[Large 1]

In no other city in the world would you have massive expanses of land surrounding every side of the city and then be forced to put your base at Thebarton oval. Anyone seen the size of Victoria Park and your telling me they couldn't build a facility next to an oval. Would be lucky to take up 10% of that land. The states motto should be "Status Quo." We really have no ******* clue here.

It is kind of a self defeating argument. Any city that had masses of vacant land which they permitted people to build on would cease to have said vacant land!

 

[Redline]

I can't work out where the Nursery site is. Is it near Uni Oval or Park 10?

 

[Jerome]

I can't work out where the Nursery site is. Is it near Uni Oval or Park 10?

 

[mattymac]

View attachment 1059563

Certainly no 'empty green areas' near the city.

You should definitely have some parks.

But the idea that you need to be girt by parks is a peculiar adelaidism

 

[CrowsB4hoes]

Hi Will

 

[hey shorty]

You should definitely have some parks.

But the idea that you need to be girt by parks is a peculiar adelaidism

Yeah we are the only city that does it.....

 

[GameofSloanes]

Hi Will

haha, heard them this morning talking about this thread. Its great that mainstream media can be used to push the ideas on here

 

[DJ75]

View attachment 1060075

If that whole council/nursery site was moved, and a bit of rearrangement was done of the fields, there is a LOT of room for both an admin centre and an oval (or even use of two ovals).

 

[morris086]

View attachment 1060075

That's been my preferred option from the start.

 

[crows dude]

If that whole council/nursery site was moved, and a bit of rearrangement was done of the fields, there is a LOT of room for both an admin centre and an oval (or even use of two ovals).

We would have to get in with the Mighty Blacks to us that oval I would expect.