NMFC Board Elections

[Pykie]

Now you're talking. I completely agree that the only way to transform the current space is to utilise the space at the ends of the ground.

In reality I think the original development is a completely different design if they ever foresaw AFLW and football genuinely returning to Arden St in a competitive manner.

We've built ourselves out to completely maximise the ground for grandstands, especially given how tight the ground is on one wing to Macaulay Rd. Ideally the grandstand would simply go on that wing if we had space.... It MAY be possible to do it there, and it's certainly done in other countries (essentially forming a barrier to a road) especially English football grounds, however not sure it would fly with current planning.

 

[SMaturin]

Council is not going to allow us to rip down perfectly good infrastructure - with all the denial of amenity to the community it would entail even if rebuilt bigger and better - just for our own purposes.

If it were old and run down, maybe, but not now.

I understand you perfectly...

 

[SMaturin]

In reality I think the original development is a completely different design if they ever foresaw AFLW and football genuinely returning to Arden St in a competitive manner.

We've built ourselves out to completely maximise the ground for grandstands, especially given how tight the ground is on one wing to Macaulay Rd. Ideally the grandstand would simply go on that wing if we had space.... It MAY be possible to do it there, and it's certainly done in other countries (essentially forming a barrier to a road) especially English football grounds, however not sure it would fly with current planning.

In reality there's nothing stopping the ground width being reduced 3-5 metres on the Macaulay Road side.

 

[Del191229]

Instead of focusing on the big glittering prize that may never happen - senior men's games at Arden Street, we should be focusing in the far more achievable aim of just getting our hands on ANY expansion of the footprint, any redevelopment.

The more we are entrenched at Arden Street, in every way, the harder we are to shift or shaft.

 

[SMaturin]

Instead of focusing on the big glittering prize that may never happen - senior men's games at Arden Street, we should be focusing in the far more achievable aim of just getting our hands on ANY expansion of the footprint, any redevelopment.

The more we are entrenched at Arden Street, in every way, the harder we are to shift or shaft.

Agree, but in practice the one is a stepping stone to the other.

 

[Pykie]

Council is not going to allow us to rip down perfectly good infrastructure - with all the denial of amenity to the community it would entail even if rebuilt bigger and better - just for our own purposes.

If it were old and run down, maybe, but not now.

Of course they would....

We just have to pay for it.

The pool is actually just a single competent of the North Melbourne Recreation Center now, which includes the ground, our HQ, the basketball courts etc.

Remembering the pool was closed for almost 5 years in the 90's because it was ****ed and it took community action to get it back up and running in 1996 (which means it's almost 25 years old since it's last refurbishment...)

As long as the replacement aquatic center is publically accessible, it just means it's an asset that the council get help on, on what it otherwise would of had to pump budgeted funds into maintaining and referubishing in the next 2 decades anyway.

It's not ripping it down, it's actually just another redevelopment of a section of the North Melbourne recreation center.


Given the population explosion, a genuine GESAC style aquatic center for West/North Melbourne is probably warranted.

Bayside council is about to build one in Sandringham after doing a land swap Sandringham Golf Club. They are all the rage with councils atm...

 

[SMaturin]

A stand of any description to allow for 5k seating for AFLW and VFL games should be a real goal, and designed in a way that is aligned to potential future development.

 

[Pykie]

Instead of focusing on the big glittering prize that may never happen - senior men's games at Arden Street, we should be focusing in the far more achievable aim of just getting our hands on ANY expansion of the footprint, any redevelopment.

The more we are entrenched at Arden Street, in every way, the harder we are to shift or shaft.

I never said anything about mens games at Arden St.

The grandstands im suggesting are only for VFL and AFLW games, on the idea that their development would be recouped over the next 2 decades with average ticketed crowds of approx 5-10k down the track for the AFLW competition.

The ground and it's surrounding buildings, parking etc, isn't suitable for a 20k boutique stadium (as a minimum) that it would take to host semi-regular mens games.

If we want to look outside the box for increasing revenue, it should be via the AFLW and home games at Arden St in the near future, once the competition becomes ticketed.

 

[Del191229]

Of course they would....

We just have to pay for it.

The pool is actually just a single competent of the North Melbourne Recreation Center now, which includes the ground, our HQ, the basketball courts etc.

Remembering the pool was closed for almost 5 years in the 90's because it was f’ed and it took community action to get it back up and running in 1996 (which means it's almost 25 years old since it's last refurbishment...)

As long as the replacement aquatic center is publically accessible, it just means it's an asset that the council get help on what it otherwise would had to pump into maintaining anyway.

It's not ripping it down, it's actually just another redevelopment of a section of the North Melbourne recreation center.

We would be ripping it down to redevelop. It would be unavailable to community that whole time.

As for paying for it, any redevelopment we do we'll be hitting council up for anyway, they aren't gunna pay again for something they already have.

 

[Del191229]

A stand of any description to allow for 5k seating for AFLW and VFL games should be a real goal, and designed in a way that is aligned to potential future development.

Completely agree.

 

[SMaturin]

OK, I'm in a activist mood this morning.

Aside from this, or me sending a sweaty email to B1 and B2, is there actually anything that the rank and file could do to make and/or keep this as a public agenda item for the club?

 

[Del191229]

OK, I'm in a activist mood this morning.

Aside from this, or me sending a sweaty email to B1 and B2, is there actually anything that the rank and file could do to make and/or keep this as a public agenda item for the club?

It is something the club could do well to use the membership on.

We may not have money of a Collingwood to hire a top end lobbying firm.

But even on this thread there's the talent across a range of disciplines to form a working group of volunteers to assist the club in its efforts.

Let's see what happens in the board elections and take it from there.

 

[Pykie]

Paul Crapper

See above.

As a potential members representative.....

 

[Del191229]

Paul Crapper

See above.

As a potential members representative.....

Yeah maybe I should run for the board.

 

[Pykie]

We would be ripping it down to redevelop. It would be unavailable to community that whole time.

As for paying for it, any redevelopment we do we'll be hitting council up for anyway, they aren't gunna pay again for something they already have.

Happens all the time with council owned infrastructure like pools, golf courses etc. Things get replaced, referbished etc

What I was suggesting was a future expansion of the facilities and integration into a new public aquatic center on the pools current position, that then may also have a smaller grandstand integrated into it against the ground where the current hill sits.

As a club I feel like we get behind funding drives extremely well despite our smaller membership base, this could be angled also at the North Melbourne/West Melbourne local residents with modern crowd funding.

GESAC was constructed at a cost of $44m (which is much bigger than could fit on the Nth Melbourne site), with significant funding from the Feds and State Gvt. On the assumption further facilities for our requirements, a small 1,500-2000 seat grandstand where the hill stands, it's probably a development in the $40-$50m range.

Drop in the ocean for the "Arden Precinct" and the fact that it would be the only major Aquatic Center in Melbourne serviced by a major metro train station. Compare that to the accessibility of MSAC as an example, which is a nightmare to get to in Sth Melbourne/Albert Park. Also factor in the amount of foot traffic something like that would bring to the North recreation center and the general public to training sessions, AFLW matches/training etc, walkins that would be there for other purposes. That is a real way of artificially generating increased revenue and memberships. There SHOULD be an opporunity of presenting recepricol membership rights for club members imo for this area, as we are a club that is part of the Arden recreational center....

For $60m the State Govt/Council would get one of most accessible and serviceable recreation precincts to the CBD and Nth/West Melbourne populations. Serviced right next to it by one of the most expensive infrastructure projects in the states history and a boutique 10,000 capacity sports ground with 6,500 seats for womens/reserves sport. In a designated urban residential growth area.

No reason the ground couldn't then be used for girls/boys TAC Cup matches, u/16 & U/18 national matches etc. It would be a lot more central and accessible than Kardinia Park as an example.


Bargain and an absolute no brainer imo.

NMSAC.

 

[Zondor]

The problem is only 50% of the properties along Fogarty st are council/govt owned.

The Nth Melb Bowens site as an example is the original Bowens site, has over 100+ years of history as it was the site of their original mill in Melbourne.

Knowing the owners of Bowens and being involved with them in business, there is literally 0% chance of that property ever being sold to the NMFC.

Our best chance is actually trying to acquire the pool imo, incorporating an upgrade there for future expansion that has a public pool integrated into it.

Then building 2 small covered grandstands that extend from the basketball court to the fogarty street hill and then a grandstand that may be intergrated with the pool expansion behind the opposite eastern side hill.

The 5,000 seat grandstand at Ballarat cost $15m to build and is something that could be replicated. It's financial feasibility might actually work once AFLW becomes a ticket paying competition also.....

I think a stand maybe 10 rows lower than this, but extends from the Basketball court to Macauly Rd would work. Seating of around 5,000.

Then maybe a 1,500 seat grandstand behind the Eastern Goals which runs from the outdoor basketball courts next to the current building.

The ground would probably have a capicity of around 9,000-10,000 in that arrangement. Carparking with council might be an issue, but having one of the largest train stations in Melbourne directly below the ground is going to help in that regard.


View attachment 825249



If you look at Hawthorn's $100m complex in Dingley, they are building about a 2,500-5,000 seat grandstand for their AFLW matches, so that seams to be about the sweet spot for boutique grounds imo. People still want grass and open spaces.

View attachment 825261

Now this is the NMFC Can Do Attitude I like to see. Make it happen Funky Sonja. :stern look

 

[Dirty_11]

Happens all the time with council owned infrastructure like pools, golf courses etc. Things get replaced, referbished etc

What I was suggesting was a future expansion of the facilities and integration into a new public aquatic center on the pools current position, that then may also have a smaller grandstand integrated into it against the ground where the current hill sits.

As a club I feel like we get behind funding drives extremely well despite our smaller membership base, this could be angled also at the North Melbourne/West Melbourne local residents with modern crowd funding.

GESAC was constructed at a cost of $44m (which is much bigger than could fit on the Nth Melbourne site), with significant funding from the Feds and State Gvt. On the assumption further facilities for our requirements, a small 1,500-2000 seat grandstand where the hill stands, it's probably a development in the $40-$50m range.

Drop in the ocean for the "Arden Precinct" and the fact that it would be the only major Aquatic Center in Melbourne serviced by a major metro train station. Compare that to the accessibility of MSAC as an example, which is a nightmare to get to in Sth Melbourne/Albert Park. Also factor in the amount of foot traffic something like that would bring to the North recreation center and the general public to training sessions, AFLW matches/training etc, walkins that would be there for other purposes. That is a real way of artificially generating increased revenue and memberships. There SHOULD be an opporunity of presenting recepricol membership rights for club members imo for this area, as we are a club that is part of the Arden recreational center....

For $60m the State Govt/Council would get one of most accessible and serviceable recreation precincts to the CBD and Nth/West Melbourne populations. Serviced right next to it by one of the most expensive infrastructure projects in the states history and a boutique 10,000 capacity sports ground with 6,500 seats for womens/reserves sport. In a designated urban residential growth area.

No reason the ground couldn't then be used for girls/boys TAC Cup matches, u/16 & U/18 national matches etc. It would be a lot more central and accessible than Kardinia Park as an example.


Bargain and an absolute no brainer imo.

NMSAC.

Love your work Pykie, ideas like this which entrench ourselves in Melbourne are developments all our members would get behind.

On SM-G950F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[The Brady Bunch]

OK, I'm in a activist mood this morning.

Aside from this, or me sending a sweaty email to B1 and B2, is there actually anything that the rank and file could do to make and/or keep this as a public agenda item for the club?

If only there was an AGM within the next couple of weeks that you could go along to and ask the question.

 

[Luke72]

I think that one of the two spaces I highlighted in yellow are the most likely to work.The one that borders the current oval has the asphalt place that is council owned surely. There are some businesses but I think they would not be a major obstacle.

The other side incorporates the power transfer which will have to be moved in their current plan and a bunch of businesses that will already be having problems with the construction of the tunnel.

The future plans all have the commercial properties replaced by residential so their time is done anyway. The secret will be pushing green space when it seems to be designated for high rise apartments

 

[SMaturin]

If only there was an AGM within the next couple of weeks that you could go along to and ask the question.

Excellent point.

I’ve never been to one and won’t be able to attend this one either.

Do they field questions that have been tabled but not asked in person?

 

[Del191229]

View attachment 825709
I think that one of the two spaces I highlighted in yellow are the most likely to work.The one that borders the current oval has the asphalt place that is council owned surely. There are some businesses but I think they would not be a major obstacle.

The other side incorporates the power transfer which will have to be moved in their current plan and a bunch of businesses that will already be having problems with the construction of the tunnel.

The future plans all have the commercial properties replaced by residential so their time is done anyway. The secret will be pushing green space when it seems to be designated for high rise apartments

The Citywide space is a clear candidate here.

 

[King Corey]

Excellent point.

I’ve never been to one and won’t be able to attend this one either.

Do they field questions that have been tabled but not asked in person?

Very likely. You'll just need to get your question and membership credentials into the host's hands prior.

Most North AGM's are fairly casual affairs, they'll probably welcome extra content to pad it out past the time it takes to cover formalities.

 

[Val Keating]

The Citywide space is a clear candidate here.

They’d have to be looking at moving them regardless of our plans

 

[Del191229]

They’d have to be looking at moving them regardless of our plans

Yeah they're moving for sure.

 

[Val Keating]

Yeah they're moving for sure.

It would take a lot of dough and a lot of lobbying to convince them to sell it to us and not some bog money conglomerate

Is it up to the state or council?