Waverley Park (VFL Park)

[AM]

Sounds just like the rest of Melbourne then.

Thanks for re-stating my impression.

Maybe 5m max larger than the MCG, from boundary line to grandstand.

Not sure where you got the 5 metres from but one of the constants during the Waverley period was criticism of the design that set-back the grandstand so far from the play.

Once again, thanks for re-affirming my view though.

Ever been to the MCG or Etihad?

Um! Somehow think the choice of public transport might be in play here.

 

[bombersfan4000]

The AFL and State G/ment will need a stadium out in the east soon enough. Further out and serviced by rail with better facilities for the 'modern' footy fan. A 85,000 seat stadium would be great as Hawthorn's home ground. Mostly 'members reserved seating' for home games and a real feel of a gladiatorial arena for visiting teams. The Hawks could name their terms and the league would be silly to refuse or argue.

Waverley was firstly 'the people's ground' then Hawthorn's wide open nightmare for teams to visit. Few sides could adapt to the length and breadth of that place. Perfect for watching footy too. And that is the biggest shame. Always get a car park, a seat, a record and a kick on the ground after the match. Even so, the car park was big enough to have your own 18 a side match. Outstanding venue killed by negative media and Rex Hunt's oft used 'Arctic Park'. He surely knows his part in the demise of the ground. Not that many at AFL house cared. The new 'inner city focus' on Essendon and their success' cast a shadow over the entire direction the game took.

why do so many people like to reminisce about the past days & convince that they where better that what they really where?

Waverley was a terrible venue, not for the fact is was freezing there, it had little cover, a wind tunnel, bench seats, lack of public transport (all of the club grounds had a train lines & stations near by), the car park was a bog hole, always needing to park near a 4wd & carry a snatch strap in the back so, on the regular chance you get bogged, you are prepared!
it was just very poorly designed, the seats where miles away from the action, & if you wanted a seat that was covered it was positioned further back. & the field was just to big.

the only positive about the place it was the only stadium that had pizza hut outlets inside the stadium

 

[Hawkk]

Rumour going around that Hawthorn is 3 months away from securing a piece of land South / East of Waverley Park. The land in question is currently undertaking soil testing before the club commits to a $50m project.

What future could lie in store for Waverley if Hawthorn commit to a move in 2017?

 

[Silent Alarm]

Those photos make me miss it!

It is popularly regarded as being the middle of nowhere but is actually reasonably close to the population centre of Melbourne. Just poor service from public transport. I grew up in the immediate area, and I wouldn't have developed such an obsession about the game (or St Kilda) without Waverley.

Going to Saturday night games was pretty freezing though.

'Population centre' doesn't mean 90% of the population though. It makes it easy for a lot of people to get to, 'easy' being a relative term, ala someone from Northcote getting to the 'G or a family from Essendon going to Etihad, but what about those in Geelong? Even being in the CBD, the surrounding suburbs, or past Footscray... if you're from Franga you're alright, but you probably had to catch a bus from a station to get to Waverley anyway. Not to mention the fact that sitting on the Frankston line for another 20 minutes, stopping straight at Richmond or getting a changeover to a train at Richmond station to Soucro, is no more of an issue and probably easier.

Rumour going around that Hawthorn is 3 months away from securing a piece of land South / East of Waverley Park. The land in question is currently undertaking soil testing before the club commits to a $50m project.

What future could lie in store for Waverley if Hawthorn commit to a move in 2017?

Maybe if they turf out the residents all along the boundary, get Kennett to pull absolutely massive strings (more like the ropes of the Endeavour) for a train station, and they get another $500 million, then you might have a proper footy ground. Otherwise...

 

[bombersfan4000]

'Population centre' doesn't mean 90% of the population though. It makes it easy for a lot of people to get to, 'easy' being a relative term, ala someone from Northcote getting to the 'G or a family from Essendon going to Etihad, but what about those in Geelong? Even being in the CBD, the surrounding suburbs, or past Footscray... if you're from Franga you're alright, but you probably had to catch a bus from a station to get to Waverley anyway. Not to mention the fact that sitting on the Frankston line for another 20 minutes, stopping straight at Richmond or getting a changeover to a train at Richmond station to Soucro, is no more of an issue and probably easier.

a good example of people going to a ground is, many people thought optus oval was difficult to get to, so let alone a stadium out in the eastern suburbs is about as realistic, as every club moving back to their original club ground, having it up graded & playing home games from them

 

[ashley76]

Lots of bagging out of VFL Park.....my memories as an 9 year old were all positive. I loved the place.

 

[cartel]

'Population centre' doesn't mean 90% of the population though. It makes it easy for a lot of people to get to, 'easy' being a relative term, ala someone from Northcote getting to the 'G or a family from Essendon going to Etihad, but what about those in Geelong? Even being in the CBD, the surrounding suburbs, or past Footscray... if you're from Franga you're alright, but you probably had to catch a bus from a station to get to Waverley anyway. Not to mention the fact that sitting on the Frankston line for another 20 minutes, stopping straight at Richmond or getting a changeover to a train at Richmond station to Soucro, is no more of an issue and probably easier.

6 year old me didn't really care about trains to Soucro, wherever that is.

My post was saying that I missed it, despite its flaws, it meant something to me. Had public transport been planned properly to Melbourne's growing suburbs, predominantly in its south east and east, Waverley probably would have survived.

 

[Macca_1870]

Are you talking about through here?

On channel 10 news when they crossed to Hawthorn training during Grand Final week I'm sure they showed the players running out from here to avoid all of the people in the crowd. What's exactly behind the door? well I have no idea but it would be cool if the change rooms were preserved, although the grand stand concourse has been filled in as you can see below.

What sort of photos were in the cafe? I will have to check it out. I think the best chance of getting to the top of that stand would be to do the Hawthorn tour which is conducted Wednesday mornings. Unfortunately it takes me about 2 hours to get out to the ground on public transport so until I can book into the tour I wont go back out there to find out.

GF week answered my questions Teag. Im 99% sure Hawthorn players were shot at the beginning of their main training sessions running out of this race.

If I ever get to Waverley for a guided tour- I'll have to ask if it is accessible for public view.

 

[Teagueeee15]

GF week answered my questions Teag. Im 99% sure Hawthorn players were shot at the beginning of their main training sessions running out of this race.

If I ever get to Waverley for a guided tour- I'll have to ask if it is accessible for public view.

Yep I saw that on the news. For the main session they showed the players (Rioli mainly) running out from the crowd, but when they left they went through that door on the interchange bench.

I guess that if they didn't let people go up to the top level and away from the rain for that training session then they never will.

I just looked on the Hawthorn site and it says that tours are only run during the season and "The Tour takes guests through the facility to see the Clubs 11 Premiership Cups, the Hawks Museum, administration area, training area, football offices and the John Kennedy Snr. statue"

http://www.hawthornfc.com.au/club/waverley-park-tours

I really want to go up to the top level of that stand and look around there.

 

[Satan]

I remember going there when in front of the scoreboard was no seating but stepped up concrete

 

[Hawkk]

Looks like Hawthorn could be on the move...

Hawthorn may build new mega training base away from Waverley

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/ha...ay-from-waverley/story-fndv8os9-1227116915142

PREMIERSHIP coach Alastair Clarkson is using his Manchester City fact-finding mission to borrow ideas as Hawthorn considers building a massive new training base away from Waverley Park.

Hawthorn is tossing up whether to spend $35 million doubling the size of its footy facilities at Waverley or find an entirely new site to build on undeveloped land.

As recently as last March Hawthorn had committed to expanding Waverley but the Herald Sun understands spending $50 million on a new home is still a real possibility.

The club will again declare a monster profit of about $3 million which will help bank cash to go towards the expansion.

According to the Hawks board the other options considered includes Wantirna Reserve and Watonsia...

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-11-20/hawks-seek-more-privacy
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/...-training-ground/story-fngnvmqa-1226773425198

Personally I think Box Hill City Oval would be the logical selection should the club consider a move

 

[Macca_1870]

Where does that leave Waverley then?

With the K.G Luke stand heritage listed, Waverley will stay in some capacity. Do hawthorn adopt Waverley/Glenferrie as their suppporter hubs, and train at the new facility?

 

[Teagueeee15]

Where does that leave Waverley then?

With the K.G Luke stand heritage listed, Waverley will stay in some capacity. Do hawthorn adopt Waverley/Glenferrie as their suppporter hubs, and train at the new facility?

From pictures on the inside I think there is ample office space at Waverley that could be leased out and they may expand the public gym to include Hawthorns current facility.

Hawthorn may also expand their Waverley base by doing what was done to the old historic grandstand at Lake oval by taking over the top tier of the Luke stand and doing what was done below.

This is what's happened to Glenferrie and I don't think Waverley would just be used for Auskick and social footy only. The facilities are still top notch, unlike Glenferrie. I am a bit surprised that nobody has fixed up and leased out the space in the Tuck grand stand as an office.

 

[Damon_3388]

It is popularly regarded as being the middle of nowhere but is actually reasonably close to the population centre of Melbourne.

27km South-East of the Melbourne CBD. It might be a heavily populated area, but that's still pretty inaccessible/awkward to get to for most I'd imagine (particularly with limited public transport), especially considering the majority of Victorian clubs are/were based in the inner northern or western suburbs.

People in Adelaide found AAMI Stadium an absolute arse to get to most of the time, and that was in a non-central location (near the coast) half the distance from the city (13km) that Waverley was, and eventually had some serviceable public transport.

The distance for both might have been palatable if they weren't old, cold concrete shitholes that placed you miles from the action, both on-field and pre- and post-match. The CBD stadia in both cities are infinitely better.

 

[Hawkk]

This is what's happened to Glenferrie and I don't think Waverley would just be used for Auskick and social footy only. The facilities are still top notch, unlike Glenferrie. I am a bit surprised that nobody has fixed up and leased out the space in the Tuck grand stand as an office.

Terrific pictures as always.

May I ask when did you take these pictures? I took some snaps of Glenferrie on the day following the 2013 and 2014 GF's (which I have since unfortunately misplaced) but from what I can tell the facilities are getting worse and worse by the year.

Frankly I'm amazed that they haven't already demolished the old A.S Ferguson Grand Stand that borders the old weightlifting facility...that would surely have to be a pretty major safety hazard as it is

 

[Teagueeee15]

Terrific pictures as always.

May I ask when did you take these pictures? I took some snaps of Glenferrie on the day following the 2013 and 2014 GF's (which I have since unfortunately misplaced) but from what I can tell the facilities are getting worse and worse by the year.

Frankly I'm amazed that they haven't already demolished the old A.S Ferguson Grand Stand that borders the old weightlifting facility...that would surely have to be a pretty major safety hazard as it is

My pictures at Glenferrie were all taken around May/June 2013. I remember reading a report on the council website from around that time that the Ferguson Stand was condemned to be knocked down but they still haven't done it.

Here is the Ferguson Stand from May 2013. Peeking in through the windows it looks nice, but that's about the nicest thing you can say about the stand.

 

[Pessimistic]

Boroondara have nfi what to do with glenferrie

They may have a plan which requires short term inaction

 

[Silent Alarm]

Really like Glenferrie, it's a pretty unique and pretty looking place and always seems to be skipped over (despite how good the Hawks have been). It has a bit of potential too and unlike Vic Park or the Western Oval, you wouldn't need much cash and time to make it a nice community ground. I always think you should try and keep everything there is, simply because they'll always rot and there's only one of these things (even if it's a bench or gate).

I'd like to see the Ferguson Stand somehow maintained and cleaned up, but that weightlifting centre is appalling and ugly. It wrecks the layout of the place. Then lay some grass and, out the back where that empty space/makeshift parking lot is, and try and blend it into the terracing behind the goals. Clean up both flanks and roundup the weeds. Clean up the Glenferrie Road end in the same similar, easy way, and then you'd have a place that's nice for family's and Auskick to hang, but still maintaining some historical importance.

 

[bards]

Yep I saw that on the news. For the main session they showed the players (Rioli mainly) running out from the crowd, but when they left they went through that door on the interchange bench.

I guess that if they didn't let people go up to the top level and away from the rain for that training session then they never will.

I just looked on the Hawthorn site and it says that tours are only run during the season and "The Tour takes guests through the facility to see the Clubs 11 Premiership Cups, the Hawks Museum, administration area, training area, football offices and the John Kennedy Snr. statue"

http://www.hawthornfc.com.au/club/waverley-park-tours

I really want to go up to the top level of that stand and look around there.

The old race still functions and is access to the basement. In there, where change rooms used to be is, from memory, car parking for VIP (200 games plus for players), storage cages, utilities (boilers etc) and the swimming pool. There is an elevator that the players can take back up to level two where their change facilities and gym is etc. Most admin is level three. Or is it the other way around, admin level two and players level three, it's been awhile since I've been through.

 

[Macca_1870]

The old race still functions and is access to the basement. In there, where change rooms used to be is, from memory, car parking for VIP (200 games plus for players), storage cages, utilities (boilers etc) and the swimming pool. There is an elevator that the players can take back up to level two where their change facilities and gym is etc. Most admin is level three. Or is it the other way around, admin level two and players level three, it's been awhile since I've been through.

Thanks for that info, Bards.

I'm guessing there is no way an outsider can access this area via the Waverley tour?

 

[Mogwai]

Really like Glenferrie, it's a pretty unique and pretty looking place and always seems to be skipped over (despite how good the Hawks have been). It has a bit of potential too and unlike Vic Park or the Western Oval, you wouldn't need much cash and time to make it a nice community ground. I always think you should try and keep everything there is, simply because they'll always rot and there's only one of these things (even if it's a bench or gate).

I'd like to see the Ferguson Stand somehow maintained and cleaned up, but that weightlifting centre is appalling and ugly. It wrecks the layout of the place. Then lay some grass and, out the back where that empty space/makeshift parking lot is, and try and blend it into the terracing behind the goals. Clean up both flanks and roundup the weeds. Clean up the Glenferrie Road end in the same similar, easy way, and then you'd have a place that's nice for family's and Auskick to hang, but still maintaining some historical importance.

Grew up around there but sadly the refurbishment of the place directly entails private investment, and companies are very willing to tear down the stand and attached weightlifting arena to build apartments instead as I'm not sure if the Booroondara Council has the rights to that land.

 

[Pessimistic]

I heard swinburne were interested, gave half the local residents a heart attack. They are half the problem. Went all nimby when the club wanted to sell or develop the old social club site. In the end the only option was to sell fairly cheaply to a gropu of them, who promptly did a deal to put 'tasteful' two level townhouses on it

They are probably the problem they resist anything inventive on there prolly want the council to spend millions so its nicer for hem to walk fido on it

Tuck stand is heritage listrd by the way, i assume that includes the metal lettering hawthorn football club. Ground has been declared unsafe for anything but auskick or a sport with smaller ground dimensions

 

[tandino]

Came across this interesting photo on Facebook. It would appear that the old "lake" at Waverley coughed up some secrets when it was drained in the mid-2000's

 

[brucetiki]

Only a few cars -I would've thought a few bodies would've been dug up too

 

[Satan]

And i thought my car was stolen