Return to Princes Park: MARCH 2017

JohnZ

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What ??

Cats @ KP has nothing to do with the Blues home games !!
It does but I won't go into detail, fear of derailing the thread any longer. TL;DR, AFL has contracts, and as is, there's not enough games played at MCG or Etihad to fulfill them without Geelong.
 

The Blue Baggers

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It does but I won't go into detail, fear of derailing the thread any longer. TL;DR, AFL has contracts, and as is, there's not enough games played at MCG or Etihad to fulfill them without Geelong.

Pretty sure the AFL now owns The Docklands stadium , they can negotiate the minimum games themselves !!

Expect the Cats to play 9 @ KP + 2 @ MCG
 
Oct 5, 2017
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I'd hope so. But I'd prefer 11 at KP

That won't be happening if the the AFL continue to roster Geelong home games against Collingwood and Hawthorn for example at the MCG (which they won't stop doing for a while to come)
 

JohnZ

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That won't be happening if the the AFL continue to roster Geelong home games against Collingwood and Hawthorn for example at the MCG (which they won't stop doing for a while to come)
Only because of contractual obligations due to hawthorn and north Melbourne playing in Tasmania which takes the number of Afl games played in Melbourne under 92
 
Rumour is Princes Park is about to get some TLC in the leadup to AFLW 2018 season. New drainage for the oval, digging out 1m of soil (not sure if that is just for drainage works and new topsoil or actual lowering of the ground level) and re-turfing, not sure if it is re-seeding or laying strips of pre-grown turf. Ontop of other works,new AFL standard goalposts have already been confirmed (from Mark LoGuidice himself) but I'm not sure if that'll happen before of after AFLW'18 season.

There might be enough time for seeds to grow during spring and summer if the works are completed quickly, which would be fantastic as the Shangai stadium had amazing grass due to starting from scratch and not using rolls of turf.

The AFL is paying for these works. Other improvements to replace old wooden benchess, coats of paint and PA system upgrades/re-installation may happen but would be club funded and probably won't happen before the AFLW season due to scope of work.
Old post but I can confirm that the turf was completely dug out a few weeks ago to be replaced.
 

drunkill

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A little bit of a preview, looks like the drainage has gone in and there is some equipment out on the surface too.


Edit: A bit clearer
DN8RfgmVAAIEfuF.jpg
 
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CrazyJoeFevola

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And a photo I took myself this week:
IXQmorf.jpg


Drainage has been installed, a thick layer of sand is being spread around and it covers about two thirds of the oval so far.

Going to an incredible surface...going to waste unless we get the blokes back out there too!
 
I still think there’s scope for Carlton to play a game there against Gold Coast or GWS....
I would go to the ground if the Blues played Port there but it's not really possible. Don't get me wrong, the surface will be great and I'm a big fan of the ground but there's a lot of old signage around the ground from former sponsors, scoreboards that don't work, the Gardiner Stand looks ready to fall down, I think Silent Alarm has mentioned that the Pratt Stand is full of Asbestos, the Corporate boxes are now offices, there's a low capacity, lower than before they knocked down the Social Club and Heatley Stand. It's a pipe dream unfortunately.
 
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I would go to the ground if the Blues played Port there but it's not really possible. Don't get me wrong, the surface will be great and I'm a big fan of the ground but there's a lot of old signage around the ground from former sponsors, scoreboards that don't work, the Gardiner Stand looks ready to fall down, I think Silent Alarm has mentioned that the Pratt Stand is full of Asbestos, the Corporate boxes are now offices, there's a low capacity, lower than before they knocked down the Social Club and Heatley Stand. It's a pipe dream unfortunately.

Wouldn't surprise me about the asbestos in some of the stands, there's a possibility the Hawthorn stand has a bit of that too. Plus, which idiot thought building the new training and admin center so close to the playing field was a good idea? There will never be any chance of an AFL game there anytime soon unless if the training facility is put underground or moved
 

Silent Alarm

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Wouldn't surprise me about the asbestos in some of the stands, there's a possibility the Hawthorn stand has a bit of that too. Plus, which idiot thought building the new training and admin center so close to the playing field was a good idea? There will never be any chance of an AFL game there anytime soon unless if the training facility is put underground or moved
They should have built a stand into the front of the admin with room for amenities behind it.
 
Wouldn't surprise me about the asbestos in some of the stands, there's a possibility the Hawthorn stand has a bit of that too. Plus, which idiot thought building the new training and admin center so close to the playing field was a good idea? There will never be any chance of an AFL game there anytime soon unless if the training facility is put underground or moved
Which one is the Hawthorn stand? Is that the one now known as the Heroes Stand?
 

Silent Alarm

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Which one is the Hawthorn stand? Is that the one now known as the Heroes Stand?
It's the one I think they used to broadcast from (I think they broadcasted from a box in between stands actually), but you get me. It's the old one that yeah I think Hawthorn financed.
 
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Just looking at those photos I keep thinking that if Carlton didn't build that stupid Legends stand and instead built light towers and installed a video screen or two at the ground I think Carlton would still be playing most of their games at Princes Park.
 
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Would be awesome, but for a vocal local minority who don't dig the idea. As a Brunswick resident, I'd love to be able to pop down the road every now and then for premiership points with the mens. Let's hope the women are allowed to stay there as long as possible. Absolutely loved going there this year.
 
Does anyone know why the club/workers are so snobby at PP? I've been a few times during the time frame of the start of the finals to about 2 weeks ago and I've taken photos at the ground and they always look at me like I am up to something when I'm not. My dad and I have had a couple of exchanges with workers at the ground while visiting and keep in mind that the Blues aren't training at these times for various reasons.
Me: *Walks in, has camera around neck*
Receptionist: What are you doing in here
Me: I don't know, taking photos, walking around, having a look.
Receptionist: What are you taking photos for?
Me: Um, personal purposes.
Receptionist: Ok well you can't publish these anywhere.
Me: Ok.
(I'm pretty disappointed at this point, I planned on posting these on my site.)
Receptionist: Well, you wouldn't go into the MCG or Etihad and take pictures.
Me: Ok.
(The MCG and Etihad are venues that host regular matches for premiership points but I digress)
Me: *Walking past the Heroes Stand*
Worker (One of four): What are you doing
Me: Just looking around.
Worker: If you're looking for footys we've taken them all
Me: Oh, nah I wasn't
Another worker: Oh yeah, a likely story.
(Keep in mind I was 14 and by myself, so if they think they were being funny putting me on the spot like that they were wrong.)
My dad, stepbrother and I went on a bike ride along the old Inner Circle railway line, it's now a bike track. It goes through Carlton and Fitzroy so we decided to visit the old grounds. They left a gate to the Pratt Stand open so we went in. My stepbrother and I went to the Legends Stand while my dad stayed with the bikes in the Pratt Stand when this happened.
Worker: Uh, you know this is a private shed?
My dad (a Collingwood fan): I don't care, I don't want to be in this ******* s**t hole anyway.
"BOYS, COME HERE"
Me: Do we have to leave?
My dad: Yeah we do.
Me: Alright.
We grab our bikes and start to leave
The worker, closing gate says something to my dad, my dad didn't hear though.
 
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Silent Alarm

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Does anyone know why the club/workers are so snobby at PP? I've been a few times during the time frame of the start of the finals to about 2 weeks ago and I've taken photos at the ground and they always look at me like I am up to something when I'm not. My dad and I have had a couple of exchanges with workers at the ground while visiting and keep in mind that the Blues aren't training at these times for various reasons.
[/QUOTE]
A lot of people are odd and a lot who work for footy clubs like to think they're as important as the club captain or mates with the CEO, so they defend the area like it's Pine Gap. I've seen some gates open at Optus Oval and have been really keen to jump in at times but I know they'll kick up a stink.

Ultimately it's a relic and Carlton are a big club, but more than that it's an interesting stadium as it's relatively big but almost completely unused. People like stadiums even if they think they don't. They probably forget that. I wouldn't take it personally but it's a shame. I sometimes try and hang my phone through gaps to get some photos, but quite often people have come to walk over and I quickly leave. Isn't it even a public place? I mean don't the rate payers of The City Of Yarra own it or whoever?
 
A lot of people are odd and a lot who work for footy clubs like to think they're as important as the club captain or mates with the CEO, so they defend the area like it's Pine Gap. I've seen some gates open at Optus Oval and have been really keen to jump in at times but I know they'll kick up a stink.

Ultimately it's a relic and Carlton are a big club, but more than that it's an interesting stadium as it's relatively big but almost completely unused. People like stadiums even if they think they don't. They probably forget that. I wouldn't take it personally but it's a shame. I sometimes try and hang my phone through gaps to get some photos, but quite often people have come to walk over and I quickly leave. Isn't it even a public place? I mean don't the rate payers of The City Of Yarra own it or whoever?
Just for the record I believe Carlton is in the City of Melbourne, not that it matters, just so you know. I think Carlton own the ground but I'm not 100% sure on that. I know you can enter through the front gates where the "Wall of Fame" is if you're familiar with the ground. Right where the Heatley and Social Club stands used to be and that's where I've entered every time except for the third incident. They really should show off their history, no ther clubs can say they used their ground into the 2000s except Carlton, Geelong and maybe Melbourne. They should own that. And when it's open I definitely think the workers should get off their high horses and just accept that when the gates are open and they allow people to enter their buliding - especially one with such historical significance as Princes Park - that people will enter and probably take photos.
 

drunkill

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It is private property leased from the Melbourne City Council, who still use a portion of the site with the contractor Serco running the council depot in a few buildings and the courtyard out the back of the Gardiner stand, which elocated from the gatehouse depot outside, which was returned to parkland.


The stands have all been built to the boundary line of the lease, so anything new will always be within the same rounded-square shape, unless they negotiate a new lease (unlikely) or offer to put the carpark underground and return that existing space to public parkland.

Red line shows the extent of the private property. This is from the planning permit for the terrible admin building that robbed the ground of a usable grandstand.

Carlton Football Club pays $88,121 in rent a year for the lease. From the 2016 Annual Report (Page 31)

"The Football Club has a 40 year lease agreement with the Melbourne City Council for the Princes Park
venue that continues through until 2035. The annual rent is $88,121 (2015: $88,121)."


T9Pdc9M.jpg
 
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Mar 24, 2017
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It's the one I think they used to broadcast from (I think they broadcasted from a box in between stands actually), but you get me. It's the old one that yeah I think Hawthorn financed.
Hawthorn did not finance it. Carlton agreed to build it as part of the deal for us to play games there.
Also they broadcast from the opposite side.
 
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One of the most insane decisions ever made by any business organisation let alone a sporting one. What absolute imbecile decided Carltron were going to be better off leaving Princes park? There is no doubt they should still be playing a minimum of 5 home games a year there against the Interstate teams. Throw in a couple of North fixtures too...
 

Yatmax

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It is private property leased from the Melbourne City Council, who still use a portion of the site with the contractor Serco running the council depot in a few buildings and the courtyard out the back of the Gardiner stand, which elocated from the gatehouse depot outside, which was returned to parkland.


The stands have all been built to the boundary line of the lease, so anything new will always be within the same rounded-square shape, unless they negotiate a new lease (unlikely) or offer to put the carpark underground and return that existing space to public parkland.

Red line shows the extent of the private property. This is from the planning permit for the terrible admin building that robbed the ground of a usable grandstand.

Carlton Football Club pays $88,121 in rent a year for the lease. From the 2016 Annual Report (Page 31)

"The Football Club has a 40 year lease agreement with the Melbourne City Council for the Princes Park
venue that continues through until 2035. The annual rent is $88,121 (2015: $88,121)."


T9Pdc9M.jpg
The only thing they need to do to the Gardiner' is repaint its roof. I don't think it has been since 2001... and who would decide to heritage list that old, homestead house style stand, like why bother.
 
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