Victoria Park

[Doss]

G'day fellas.

I'm wondering if any of you know what the current situation is at Victoria Park in regards to public access. I tried ringing and asking Yarra Council and they didn't know, amazingly enough. Went on the CFC website and couldn't find anything either.

I ask because, sadly, it was the only ground that became defunct during my lifetime (I was born in '88) that I never managed to get to a game at before they ceased to be used. I was taken as a three year old in 1991 to games at both Windy Hill and Moorabbin, just before they became defunct. I went to a couple Essendon v Footscray games at the Western Oval around 1993/94. Went to Princes Park a few times. And Waverley once.

But never Victoria Park sadly. I guess the fact Essendon never played there in my lifetime didn't help. Anyway, I drive past it sometimes on the way to work and have often been tempted to drop in and have a look- is it actually possible to do this? Some of it is looking a little ramshackle (at least from the outside), so it crossed my mind that public access may not be permitted..?

Any advice/facts would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance.

 

[Pera]

The last two years my mates and I have headed there for a kick after the GF parade. It is certainly available to almost anyone, anytime. There were also 20-25 other having a kick on the ground this year, even while construction workers were working on the renovations.

Hell, I even headed there for some post 2010 GF celebrations and had some drinks in the grand stand, soaking up what we had just accomplished.

By all means go down there and have a run around. It's a great surface.

 

[Doss]

Thanks Pera, I might just do that some time.

In regards to you going there after the 2010 GF, I couldn't believe it when Collingwood didn't take the cup to Victoria Park as part of the celebrations. It's still the club's spiritual home. Having said that, it is very odd to think now that a club with 70,000 members once called such a small ground home. Imagine the magpie army trying to squeeze in there now!

Apart from Collingwood VFL do any sporting teams actually play there at the moment? The cricket club vacated quite some time ago as well as CFC..

 

[i_hate_scams]

i started going to the ground in 1988, but by then we didnt play any big victorian clubs at vic park. i think the last time we played at windy hill was in 1988, and essendon in 84-85 at victoria park.

i think in the 60s the club was planning to redevelop the ground so that it could fit 60-70k, but never got off the ground.

 

[Doss]

Yeah, am led to believe that local residents (read: NIMBYs) objected to the revamp Collingwood planned. And evidently caused enough of a stink about it at local council level that the club eventually decided to let the whole thing slide..

 

[Pera]

Apart from Collingwood VFL do any sporting teams actually play there at the moment? The cricket club vacated quite some time ago as well as CFC..

I know Fitzroy Stars from the Northern Football League played there home games there in the rounds where our VFL sides were away. Thats about it though.

 

[Ed D]

Weren't they looking at bringing it back for VFL games? I heard that a year or two ago so I'm not sure if it's going to happen or not.

 

[handy point]

Weren't they looking at bringing it back for VFL games? I heard that a year or two ago so I'm not sure if it's going to happen or not.

The last two years the VFL team has played most of their home games at VP.

 

[Ed D]

The last two years the VFL team has played most of their home games at VP.

Got ya, goes to show how much I've watched the VFL lately, I can kind of remember this now!

 

[Relax]

Is Collingwood's VFL team playing at Victoria Park next year? I thought they were going to play at the new training ground being redeveloped at Olympic Park.

 

[standingroomonly]

Is Collingwood's VFL team playing at Victoria Park next year? I thought they were going to play at the new training ground being redeveloped at Olympic Park.

We will play at Vic Park next year. Olympic park won't be ready for the 2012 season.

Also we have just signed a long term agreement with Yarra Council regarding Vic Park but i'm not sure what commitment was made regarding the VFL, i'm sure that will come out shortly.

 

[Relax]

We will play at Vic Park next year. Olympic park won't be ready for the 2012 season.

Also we have just signed a long term agreement with Yarra Council regarding Vic Park but i'm not sure what commitment was made regarding the VFL, i'm sure that will come out shortly.

Thanks for the information, it will be good to see how the redevelopment at Victoria Park looks next year.