Opinion New AFC HQ: We're on like Donkey Kong!

[glengowan]

The Crows should get Thebarton and in time, another oval on Kings Reserve. Build what they need and want to host AFLW and build their entire club.

A football hub dedicated to grassroots football should be built on the land where the Aquatic Centre is. Smaller buildings/change rooms/admin facilities, in the mould of Karen Rolton Oval, to be shared by the SANFL/Adel Footy League. 5 football ovals to cater for the increase in participation of the sport and to host carnivals etc.

Build the Aquatic Centre where the bball stadium/Ent centre was going to be on the bank of the Torrens. Incorporate hydro rehab facilities given it’s nearby the hospital and other aquatic sports that can make use of the River.

West Lakes, without lights, goes back to the community - used for school sports etc.

 

[CrowsB4hoes]

the parklands are for all but more specifically those who can afford to live within walking distance of the city, cashed up universities and private colleges.

They certainly aren’t for one of the largest member organizations in the state with members ranging from Gawler to Willunga on top of the thousands of regional members who come down for games each fortnight.

 

[CrowsB4hoes]

the parklands are for all but more specifically those who can afford to live within walking distance of the city, cashed up universities and private colleges.

They certainly aren’t for one of the largest member organizations in the state with members ranging from Gawler to Willunga on top of the thousands of regional members who come down for games each fortnight.

Oops silly of me. I forgot their horses. The parklands are for their horses as well.

 

[conVINCEd]

Because there is a shitload more money to be made building apartments, childcare centers, retail strips, etc.

If Thebarton falls through, we will probably be forced into an Adelaide United style setup a long way out of the city.

Even with a falling population?

Cap is right tho, they want a city location.

Agree with Geoffa32 - we don’t actually need that. Just a great space that can be ‘ours’, regardless of whether it’s walkable from AO.

 

[chazwazza]

The Crows should get Thebarton and in time, another oval on Kings Reserve. Build what they need and want to host AFLW and build their entire club.

A football hub dedicated to grassroots football should be built on the land where the Aquatic Centre is. Smaller buildings/change rooms/admin facilities, in the mould of Karen Rolton Oval, to be shared by the SANFL/Adel Footy League. 5 football ovals to cater for the increase in participation of the sport and to host carnivals etc.

Build the Aquatic Centre where the bball stadium/Ent centre was going to be on the bank of the Torrens. Incorporate hydro rehab facilities given it’s nearby the hospital and other aquatic sports that can make use of the River.

West Lakes, without lights, goes back to the community - used for school sports etc.

I’d be very surprised if Adelaide get control of Kings Reserve, there’s a soccer club based there and a much loved community area.

 

[glengowan]

I’d be very surprised if Adelaide get control of Kings Reserve, there’s a soccer club based there and a much loved community area.

It will be interesting to see what happens. Kings Reserve will be a dumping site for the South Rd works for the best part of 5 years, so after that, the area is probably big enough to have a Max Basheer style oval as a 2nd oval, a space for soccer and landscaped area/playground. Plus there will be all that space where the bowling club is now - that is making way for the South Rd works - some of which will have a permanent facility for tunnel maintenance, but some will be able to be utilised for public space. It really is a blank canvas once the South Rd works are over and done with.

 

[brucetiki]

Or just stay at West Lakes.

Surrounding area will be quite nice by the end of this year.

No need to rush into a heavily compromised location.

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The issue with the current facility is the lack of facilities for the AFLW side, otherwise I'd be all for staying at West Lakes.

 

[Cap]

Won't happen, would cause no end of controversy

Kensington Oval | Austadiums

Information about Kensington Oval in Adelaide including venue layout, history, records, events, map, tickets, directions and accommodation.

www.austadiums.com

Come to an agreement with Pembroke (ovals across the road). Problem solved.

Apart from all the protests.

 

[Geoffa32]

The issue with the current facility is the lack of facilities for the AFLW side, otherwise I'd be all for staying at West Lakes.

Good point

And no point building new facilities given the lease will run out, even if a long time away.

I reckon we are going to Thebby. Seems to tick most boxes. Just the SANFL issue and most of a decade will be surrounded by a work site.

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[NTRabbit]

Won't happen, would cause no end of controversy

Kensington Oval | Austadiums

Information about Kensington Oval in Adelaide including venue layout, history, records, events, map, tickets, directions and accommodation.

www.austadiums.com

Come to an agreement with Pembroke (ovals across the road). Problem solved.

Apart from all the protests.

There's a already a shortage of oval space for both training and match day at the suburban football and cricket level all year round, no local club is going to give up even partial control of their ground without a fight.

 

[ad victoriam]

I’d be very surprised if Adelaide get control of Kings Reserve, there’s a soccer club based there and a much loved community area.

The Community Center going when they start the south Road Tunnel, So is part of the Soccer Field,
The 2nd oval will further west of the Current Soccer Oval,

 

[NTRabbit]

The Community Center going when they start the south Road Tunnel, So is part of the Soccer Field,
The 2nd oval will further west of the Current Soccer Oval,

There's not going to be a second oval at Thebarton, just a single one with the adaptable training boundaries

 

[ad victoriam]

There's not going to be a second oval at Thebarton, just a single one with the adaptable training boundaries

Once the South road upgrade is completed there will be a 2nd Oval on King reserve. it was always part of deal if they move to Thebby.

 

[1970crow]

On what basis is it not in the states best interest?

I think that if you take a macro view purely based upon $ returns, then it’s clearly in the state’s best interest. But I’d argue that there’s an argument that the state is better served by considering more than just $ returns and QTY of housing stock created as well. But then I’ll argue the housing stock and $ return to the State argument as well.

But I’ll never accept that the best return for a community or the state as a whole is to maximise $ returns.

 

[CrowsB4hoes]

I think that if you take a macro view purely based upon $ returns, then it’s clearly in the state’s best interest. But I’d argue that there’s an argument that the state is better served by considering more than just $ returns and QTY of housing stock created as well. But then I’ll argue the housing stock and $ return to the State argument as well.

But I’ll never accept that the best return for a community or the state as a whole is to maximise $ returns.

The difference in financial return between the winning proposal and Crows options would be pretty insignificant in the scheme of things. If we were a listed company wanting to maximize shareholder returns, then find. But we aren’t.

 

[Jetwa5h]

Even with a falling population?

Cap is right tho, they want a city location.

Agree with Geoffa32 - we don’t actually need that. Just a great space that can be ‘ours’, regardless of whether it’s walkable from AO.

True, The new Lions set up will be approx a 40min drive to the Gabba, The land I think was donated from contributions from the Ipswich Council, State Government and the developer Sinnathamby.

Of note walked past it yesterday its about maybe 60% complete it has its own walkway straight of the train station

 

[FR0GGY]

True, The new Lions set up will be approx a 40min drive to the Gabba, The land I think was donated from contributions from the Ipswich Council, State Government and the developer Sinnathamby.

Of note walked past it yesterday its about maybe 60% complete it has its own walkway straight of the train station

View attachment 1451007

That looks to be on a way bigger piece of land than our options.

 

[Geoffa32]

That looks to be on a way bigger piece of land than our options.

The advantage to not being fixated on being close to the CBD.

40 minutes drive from Adelaide CBD our training ground could be as big as we want with minimal compromises.

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[Redline]

Repeating myself but a few key points that annoy me about Thebarton keeping in mind I do love the SANFL and they need a facility and I don't know the details but sense where this is heading.

Any kind of set up that has to benefit the community is a loss for the club. We are the biggest sporting organisation in the State, we don't need facilities that benefit a local area. There are thousands of other sporting clubs to do that and partly the reason why those clubs exist. Even the pandemic should have shown that we need exclusive use or at least total ownership of any facility.

This is just an example but I could almost write the front page Adveriser article now about the U15 school girls knock-out competition final that had to be moved to accommodate an extra unplanned Crows training session with a photo of a disappointed group of girls holding footballs. We are just setting ourselves up.

We need two ovals or at least one and a half. Anything else is a loss for the club. We have three teams at the moment potentially about to go to four in a few years with a SANFL women's team. Who knows the AFL could change rules on Academy's and we might have to allow for them as well. This gets back to the first point about us being a professional club. The main oval has to be in almost perfect condition all year round as that is the surface what we play on. It might mean the SANFL sides have to train on the second oval to keep the main oval in good condition. I realise some local ovals house 20 different teams and the oval gets chopped up but that's not the competition we are in.

Anyway rant over

 

[brucetiki]

The advantage to not being fixated on being close to the CBD.

40 minutes drive from Adelaide CBD our training ground could be as big as we want with minimal compromises.

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Exactly. The club could easily look at a greenfield site either outer north or outer south of the CBD (ala Adelaide United with Elizabeth) to set up an uncompromised state of the art facility.

The only drawback with being in the outer suburbs will be if we decide to use the site for AFLW games (noting some of the ridiculous mocking of Port using Alberton on these threads claiming that's too far out of the CBD).

 

[1970crow]

The AFC bid at Brompton was not even close to meeting the previous frame of reference. It came well down the list of proposals for both its content, detail and meeting of criteria. The winner was chosen on those grounds alone, that included ignoring the state of ownership of the tenderer. No review will change that result, unless the new government changes the terms of reference in favour of the AFCs proposal.

The review is into the terms of reference themselves. Our only hope is that RSA has deviated a long way from their guiding principles and screwed up the weightings.

 

[Jetwa5h]

The advantage to not being fixated on being close to the CBD.

40 minutes drive from Adelaide CBD our training ground could be as big as we want with minimal compromises.

On SM-A325F using BigFooty.com mobile app

RE: the area the what looks like units or housing to the left are not part of it.
All the AFLW will be played there once completed

Men and women on equal terms at new Brisbane Lions training facility

The Brisbane Lions will set a new AFL benchmark for high-performance environments — for both their men's and women's sides — when the club's $80 million training base is unveiled in September.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Dangerousfield]

What about the site of the Multifunction Polis? Or Koutsantonis's dodgy deal Gillman site?

With South Road now non stop high speed all the way to those areas, distance from the CBD is no longer a tyranny.

Build two ovals, one identical in dimensions to AO, the other identical in to the MCG the site of future flag glory!

 

[Rabish Binney]

Repeating myself but a few key points that annoy me about Thebarton keeping in mind I do love the SANFL and they need a facility and I don't know the details but sense where this is heading.

Any kind of set up that has to benefit the community is a loss for the club. We are the biggest sporting organisation in the State, we don't need facilities that benefit a local area. There are thousands of other sporting clubs to do that and partly the reason why those clubs exist. Even the pandemic should have shown that we need exclusive use or at least total ownership of any facility.

This is just an example but I could almost write the front page Adveriser article now about the U15 school girls knock-out competition final that had to be moved to accommodate an extra unplanned Crows training session with a photo of a disappointed group of girls holding footballs. Why are just setting ourselves up.

We need two ovals or at least one and a half. Anything else is a loss for the club. We have three teams at the moment potentially about to go to four in a few years with a SANFL women's team. Who knows the AFL could change rules on Academy's and we might have to allow for them as well. This gets back to the first point about us being a professional club. The main oval has to be in almost excellent condition all year round as that is what we plan on. It might the SANFL sides have to train on the second oval to keep the main oval in good condition. I realise some local ovals house 20 different teams and the oval gets chopped up but that's not the competition we are in.

Anyway rant over

100% this.

What is the insistence on benefitting the community? The club is going to pay millions so it can develop a suitable ground and establish a club HQ (wherever that may be).....why can't it be for the exclusive use of the AFC??

Its not as if we haven't contributed back to the SANFL (how much exactly have we put back since 1991)?

Does WCE allow people to walk their dogs at Lathlain? Is Ghosh's paddock (Collingwood training ground) shared with 'the community? Alberton?

 

[MRB37]

100% this.

What is the insistence on benefitting the community? The club is going to pay millions so it can develop a suitable ground and establish a club HQ (wherever that may be).....why can't it be for the exclusive use of the AFC??

Its not as if we haven't contributed back to the SANFL (how much exactly have we put back since 1991)?

Does WCE allow people to walk their dogs at Lathlain? Is Ghosh's paddock (Collingwood training ground) shared with 'the community? Alberton?

The reason there has to be a community benefit is because the Crows want to be gifted the land to build their site on. That only happens if people in the area get a benefit from it, otherwise you're taking public land and taking it away from the very public it's supposed to belong to.

Now if they go out and buy their block of land to develop a site on, that's a completely different thing, but that isn't going to happen.