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

[Cap]

Has anyone heard anything on the grape vine?

Wasn't September the date the ACC needed to have their decision finalised for their own purposes?

 

[AFC3000]

Has anyone heard anything on the grape vine?

Wasn't September the date the ACC needed to have their decision finalised for their own purposes?

A few bits of news over the last few days as I'm sure we've all seen.

Labor have matched the funding promise it seems.

Same article from the Advertiser mentions "Adelaide City Council is expected to hold a special meeting on June 4 to consider some “guiding principles” for the Crows development. "

Rucci is likely talking to every save the parklands supporter he can find, he seemed pretty happy to announce the Aquatic Centre thing might fall through with us being forced to look at a plan b...

Which is just, "Crows being invited to put their training ovals and training facility on the corner of Barton Terrace West and Prospect Road. The space re-created by the clearing of the car parks around the aquatic centre would then be wiped out by the new Crows infrastructure - but with no “net loss” in parklands space."

With us previously mentioning a plan for that whole area including O'Connell Street, I wouldn't be surprised if that was plan A anyway. Get's us closer to Adelaide Oval.

If the Aquatic Centre has to come down anyway I don't really think it matters if it's rebuilt where it's currently located.

 

[AFC3000]

The Aquatic Centre needs remediation, it doesn't need to come down.

Would we get the required footprint, plus the Aquatic Centre or would we need to scale it back? West Coast's new facility pretty much occupies an entire 50 metre arc, Freo's an entire side of the ground (with pools).

I have little interest in us moving for location if it doesn't also bring AFL best facilities at the time, and scope to improve.

 

[Storm20]

Rucci is still salty that the pear didn't end up with Gladys Elphick Park

 

[arrowman]

The Aquatic Centre needs remediation, it doesn't need to come down.

Would we get the required footprint, plus the Aquatic Centre or would we need to scale it back?

My understanding is that the dilemma the ACC currently faces is that there's a "fix it" option that would be cheaper but a bandaid, and that in reality major work would be needed, at a cost that can't be justified given the amount the centre is currently used.

I haven't been there for a long time, but I think the current centre is over sized for the way it's currently being used. It's no longer the primary competition venue - that's Marion - and maybe a knockdown and rebuild of a smaller facility, with lower ongoing costs, would stack up financially - more so than proper remediation of the current (sized) facility.

 

[Tex Danger]

A few bits of news over the last few days as I'm sure we've all seen.

Which is just, "Crows being invited to put their training ovals and training facility on the corner of Barton Terrace West and Prospect Road. The space re-created by the clearing of the car parks around the aquatic centre would then be wiped out by the new Crows infrastructure - but with no “net loss” in parklands space."

With us previously mentioning a plan for that whole area including O'Connell Street, I wouldn't be surprised if that was plan A anyway. Get's us closer to Adelaide Oval.

If the Aquatic Centre has to come down anyway I don't really think it matters if it's rebuilt where it's currently located.

Odd thing about that statement was that he made it sound like the move would then only be a Crows thing, not a public/community thing by saying that our offices would be across the road in the hotel and that the aquatic centre would be closed.

But that goes against everything the council has said publicly to date with those elements seemingly being the highest priority for them

 

[relapse]

The other interesting thing is that is mentioned seems to allude that the Crows might also be acquiring the Caledonian Hotel which I imagine would be used as a social base for the club and maybe their merchandise store.

"'Crows looking at the Caledonian Hotel to redevelop as the club’s administrative centre.''

 

[arrowman]

The other interesting thing is that is mentioned seems to allude that the Crows might also be acquiring the Caledonian Hotel which I imagine would be used as a social base for the club and maybe their merchandise store.

"'Crows looking at the Caledonian Hotel to redevelop as the club’s administrative centre.''

I used to work in a building with a bar in the basement. Best thing ever.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Why did South Australia do the swimming complex at Marion instead of upgrading the Aquatic Centre?

Seems like a Footy Park vs Adelaide Oval situation

 

[Doctor B]

Odd thing about that statement was that he made it sound like the move would then only be a Crows thing, not a public/community thing by saying that our offices would be across the road in the hotel and that the aquatic centre would be closed.

But that goes against everything the council has said publicly to date with those elements seemingly being the highest priority for them

Remember that its from a Rucci article that starts the car park story with "from those in the know" roughly meaning from Rucci's vivid imagination.

Fagans email last week said;

As I have mentioned previously, our master planning process is focused on the current site of the Adelaide Aquatic Centre in North Adelaide. Planning is aimed at delivering a vibrant sports and community precinct, including new facilities for the club.


If the stakeholders can finance a version of the Freo Dockers/Cockburn ARC model, or even here in Adelaide the excellent Campbelltown ARC where there are aquatic, gym, and multiple court sports for the community it would be a huge win for Adelaide and its surrounding suburbs.

 

[mattymac]

Why did South Australia do the swimming complex at Marion instead of upgrading the Aquatic Centre?

Seems like a Footy Park vs Adelaide Oval situation

Some numpty would've had a cry about parklands etc

 

[flashcrow]

I used to work in a building with a bar in the basement. Best thing ever.

So did I, Grenfell Centre..... very easy to have a long lunch

 

[jackster83]

Why did South Australia do the swimming complex at Marion instead of upgrading the Aquatic Centre?

Seems like a Footy Park vs Adelaide Oval situation

Marion being in a marginal seat might have had something to do with it.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Marion being in a marginal seat might have had something to do with it.

Ahhh, that long term vision we're famous for

 

[Eagleboy2011]

We are being short changed or naïve. Geelong to get $25m to upgrade stadium.

 

[CrowEater888]

Why did South Australia do the swimming complex at Marion instead of upgrading the Aquatic Centre?

Seems like a Footy Park vs Adelaide Oval situation

Because Anne Moron did everything she could to stifle its upgrade.

The Government spat the dummy and built it somewhere else.

 

[arrowman]

We are being short changed or naïve. Geelong to get $25m to upgrade stadium.

From the feds? I'm hoping there will be some cash from the state govt plus maybe some non-cash things like favourable lease terms or whatever.

It's an interesting situation. On the one hand, govt tipping in for sport stadiums is pretty much standard procedure, and a stadium can be seen as a more general community facility than a club facility, but on the other hand a club facility that includes genuine community facilities.... there's leverage there.

So yeah, I'd be hoping we'd get something like the Geelong deal when it's all added up, and also I think that's entirely justified.

 

[Scorpus]

We are being short changed or naïve. Geelong to get $25m to upgrade stadium.

Half of Geelong is in one of the most marginal seats in the country

 

[Tex Danger]

With the current layout of the Aquatic Centre and having visited Cockburn and Lathlain recently i don't see a way that the current centre can be developed to incorporate a high performance facility, especially with the mandate of no loss of parklands.
My best guess is that there would be a very slim chance that the current centre is maintained in any way if a joint venture is the path forward.

Id expect it to be knocked down.
Also expect a lot of underground parking to assist in allowing a larger footprint for a new building as it can then use up some of the square meterage that the current car park takes up. If you add up the current building plus car park then that allows for a lot of building space without losing parkland if a significant portion of those car parks lay underneath it.

 

[CrowMike]

It is happening, the ACC want the Aquatic Centre gone and off their hands which pretty much open the pathway. The muckraking is just a salty Rucci who tried to get PAP to No. 1 Port Rd and it didn't pan out the way he wanted.

 

[ChilliP]

While i agree.

The interesting part will be the Crows requirement for Indoor training space (i.e. basketball courts) and how this affects things.
Ultimately your probably looking at a facility that has a community 50m pool, 25m pool, kids play space, watersides, spas, saunas, retail store, cafe and gymnasium as a minimum.
Some of which using the Cockburn / FFC template would be shared facilities.

The there would the the Crows facilities that would have no community access incorporating: Administration, theater room, gymnasium, physio/treatment and hydrotherapy again as a minimum.

Then factor in the potential for basketball courts which i would imagine the Crows would push given their need for indoor training space at various times of the year.
On top of that given recent builds that have occurred of similar nature and size it would need 400+ car spaces, the current site holds less then 300.

To get this done without losing parklands it is going to need to go up or down.

The 15 mill the Crows have already acquired is a great start, i would think there is another 100 mill going to be required to get it done.

I don't think it will have a kids play space, waterslides & saunas. Probably just a 50m pool and an additional smaller, deeper pool for waterpolo. Sports recovery places are becoming popular now so they may have a bunch of ice baths that can be used by the public if they pay.

 

[spexau]

I don't think it will have a kids play space, waterslides & saunas. Probably just a 50m pool and an additional smaller, deeper pool for waterpolo. Sports recovery places are becoming popular now so they may have a bunch of ice baths that can be used by the public if they pay.

Maybe a public gym too. The kids stuff will take up a lot of room/money.

 

[AFC3000]

Maybe a public gym too. The kids stuff will take up a lot of room/money.

This is the Freo centre, pretty big footprint, but outside/in the air... Not so sure how that would go with the Parklands people!

However... There is something to having a waterpark, it's the number of kids you could get through there on a weekend/holidays and for swimming lessons and things like that.

Before they even care about football, they could be at our Crows themed training centre having fun, meeting the players and things like that or going through our community programs at a much higher volume.

 

[arrowman]

This is the Freo centre, pretty big footprint, but outside/in the air... Not so sure how that would go with the Parklands people!

However... There is something to having a waterpark, it's the number of kids you could get through there on a weekend/holidays and for swimming lessons and things like that.

Before they even care about football, they could be at our Crows themed training centre having fun, meeting the players and things like that or going through our community programs at a much higher volume.

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* Ollie Wines likes this

 

[ChilliP]

If it happens it will have a playspace.

Your only looking at this from a Crows perspective and completely forgetting about the overall community aspect of it.

Aquatic Centres make their money on Swim Schools, Family Activities and Gyms. Not big bodies of water that are utilized for lap-swimming, carnivals and water polo.

The current centre has spas, saunas and multiple pools including an extensive kids playspace. The chances of these items being disposed of are minimal in my view.

Being a football club is where the money will be made, running the aquatic center is what they have to do to get the land. The Aquatic Center runs at a massive loss, it's nothing close to a gold mine. We will look to reduce costs as much as possible and stick to things that are in the clubs area of expertise, things that the club can get double use out of. They will be looking for government grants and they will come from supporting olympic events like water polo which is already popular at the aquatic center. Their goal would be to create a place potential Olympic athletes can train and use elite facilities before they worry about child activities.

They are using their baseball side to get money from international baseball clubs by offering their junior athletes somewhere to train and play in the offseason. Their new home base will be in line with that, a world-class facility that they can sell to top-level athletes from SA and all around the world.