News Council indecision stalls Brunswick Street Oval upgrade - Herald Sun 13th July 2024

[Roylion]

From the Herald Sun Saturday 13th July 2024

Fitzroy Footy Club ‘betrayed’ over Yarra council delays for $12.8m Brunswick St Oval upgrade - Ian Royall - Herald Sun.​

Fitzroy Football Club desperately needs new facilities, but council indecision over the upgrade may stop the boom of women and girls playing sport.

Plans to redevelop one of Melbourne’s famous footy grounds have stalled for six years through council indecision, amid concerns the delays risk driving girls and women away from community sport.

The Fitzroy Football Club has now spoken out and called on the City of Yarra council to begin overdue works on a new pavilion before council elections in October,

The state government has tipped in $12.8m to build a permanent home for the Fitzroy Junior FC, Fitzroy Football Club and Edinburgh Cricket Club at the Brunswick Street Oval.

The clubs and the community have endorsed plans for a two-storey pavilion with change-rooms. But nothing has happened.

FFC president David Leydon said the clubs felt betrayed.



“Enough is enough. We got the first grant six years ago and nothing has happened. We need our councillors to support our clubs to have a proper home with proper and modern facilities for our women.’’

Mr Leydon said the 1888 heritage-listed grandstand had inadequate change rooms for community clubs today.

“We need action before the election.’’

The three clubs have more than 1500 active members, plus thousands more volunteers. All have actively promoted the participation of women and girls in sport but cannot provide basic facilities.

On Saturday the footy club will celebrate 10 years of its women’s team and is hoping to add a third squad, adding more urgency to get the facilities built.

The council set aside $1m in its recently approved 2024-25 budget for the project – the previous year $3.5m had been allocated.

Independent councillor Stephen Jolly was backing the clubs’ fight for council action and said only extreme frustration had forced club leaders to speak out.

“The council is quick to tell us how to eat but slow to do its actual job. They got more than $12m from the state government and they’re just hoarding it like a bank.

“The council have moved the goalposts three times – three redesigns. They’re not being straight up with the clubs and the community.’’’

Cass Blake, club director of Player Wellbeing and past Fitzroy captain, told the Saturday Herald Sun it was unacceptable that the current facilities were so outdated many players had to go home to shower after games.

“We’re an inclusive club but we need space to allow everyone to feel welcome.’’

A Yarra spokesman said that its proposed design for Brunswick St Oval had been the subject of community engagement in 2022 and the resulting feedback was used to inform the proposed design.

“Supply chain issues and the rising cost of materials and labour are impacting on project delivery.

“In addition, the construction costs came in significantly over budget. We were unable to commence construction of Stage 1 of the new sports pavilion as planned in late 2023 and the original scope of the project was no longer feasible due to the significant increase in costs.’’

In 2018 the state allocated $6.5m to build a permanent clubhouse, then in 2022 an extra $6.3m was provided in the state budget to complete the redevelopment because of council delays.

The oval opened in 1883 as home for the Fitzroy footy club. Its last VFL game was played there in 1966 while it was the home ground for the Fitzroy Cricket Club until 1986.

The heritage-listed grandstand was built in 1888.

 

[Roylion]

And The Age is also reporting the same today

Possum poo, no showers after games: A long-promised Fitzroy footy fix-up faces a downgrade - Kieran Rooney - The Age 13th July 2024​

Cost blowouts and delays have sparked a stoush over sports facilities at Fitzroy’s historic Brunswick Street Oval, with the council now looking to revise a promised upgrade that local clubs say is six years late.

“The facilities are outdated, and many players have to go home to have a shower after the games,” said Cass Blake, Fitzroy Football Club’s director of player wellbeing.

The Victorian government in 2018 allocated $6.5 million to build a permanent home to accommodate the football club and its junior counterpart, and the Edinburgh Cricket Club at the ground. Another $6.3 million was included in the 2022 budget after it was hit with delays.

But Yarra City Council now says the project is “significantly over budget” and construction has been unable to start. It is seeking to negotiate a new design to suit the existing funding.

The clubs have slammed the council’s management of the project, arguing it has been delayed for too long and work should get under way immediately, urging councillors to intervene before council elections in November.
They say they have put significant effort into successfully increasing female participation in their sports but women and girls still do not have the facilities needed to support this growth. Saturday marks the 10th anniversary celebration for women’s football at Fitzroy Football Club.

More than 1500 people play across the three clubs, including 600 juniors.

Blake said the absence of clubrooms made it difficult to run development and education programs.

“That’s not acceptable. We’re an inclusive club, but we need space to allow everyone to feel welcome,” she said.

“We’ve been promised proper clubrooms for six years. Council needs to hear their community’s concerns and get on with it.”

A Yarra City Council spokesperson said it, along with other councils, had been hit by supply chain issues and rising costs of materials and labour.
“In addition, the construction costs came in significantly over budget,” they said.

“As a result, we were unable to commence construction of Stage 1 of the new sports pavilion as planned in late 2023 and the original scope of the project was no longer feasible due to the significant increase in costs.

“Council is committed to delivering this project and is working with key stakeholders including sporting clubs and the Victorian government to establish a revised design.”

The clubs have endorsed a two-storey pavilion as their preferred build. Council consulted community about the design throughout 2022.
Fitzroy Football Club president David Leydon said they felt betrayed by the process.

“Council keeps putting up plans that they know will get rejected. It makes you wonder if they want to support their local clubs,” he said. “We need action before the election. Councillors are on notice.”

Community Sport Minister Ros Spence said the council had wasted six years on the project.

“Because of the council, women and girls have gone another six years without the facilities they need and deserve,” she said.

 

[Mobbs]

I can remember there'd been issues with the council and the ground for many years.

 

[Roysforever]

I know the delays must be frustrating. Though does airing these thoughts so publicly help the relationship with Yarra Council?

 

[AussieNick1999]

Are any of the plans for the new facilities publically available? The grandstand being heritage-listed probably means they won't be able to knock it down.

 

[killer]

We used to change under a tree

Any illustrations as to what this would look like ?
Might have looked like ?