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View Full Version : State Government announces funding boost for Bulldogs’ redevelopment



Grantysghost
15-11-2020, 08:58 AM
The Daniel Andrews State Government has announced it will allocate $36.6 million towards the Whitten Oval precinct redevelopment

https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/836230



https://i.ibb.co/pwTw27R/BE008829-267-C-4-B6-D-8-D58-A992-D83-C4488.jpg (https://ibb.co/RbKb2FB)


The Western Bulldogs Football Club welcomes today’s announcement by the Daniel Andrews State Government to allocate $36.6 million towards the Whitten Oval precinct redevelopment.

The Club’s ambitious plans for its West Footscray home will transform the precinct into the centrepiece of Melbourne’s west - a home for an elite sporting club and a common place for the community.

It will be an inviting, contemporary and cutting-edge place to work, recreate, explore, relax and connect, which caters for the changing face of the region.

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Martin Pakula today announced that the funding had been confirmed for the Bulldogs’ $58 million project, as part of the Victorian Budget for 2020/21.

“We are very grateful to the Daniel Andrews State Government for believing in the vision we have created for the future of the Whitten Oval precinct,” said Bulldogs President Peter Gordon.

“We have been on this journey for a number of years now, and the Victorian Government has supported our plans from the beginning.

“This funding commitment will allow us to begin the significant next stage of these important works. We will start this process as soon as we can.

“To be embarking on such an exciting and ambitious project to redevelop the Whitten Oval precinct is a special opportunity which underlines our commitment to ensuring we provide elite facilities for our football teams and to service our members and fans, local residents and the community of the west.

“Our ultimate ambition is to make the Whitten Oval precinct the heart of the community - an everyday precinct to spectate, celebrate and discover. The redevelopment will ensure that new generations can enjoy the Western Bulldogs’ home ground, create new and lasting memories, and retain a strong understanding of the Club’s history.”

The Whitten Oval precinct redevelopment was initially made possible by a valuable parcel of land at the Geelong Road end of the precinct, which was transferred to the Club to enable a larger overall footprint to be developed.

The Victorian Government initially allocated $5 million towards stage one of the redevelopment, which was completed in February last year, and a further $1 million towards the creation of detailed plans for future stages.

In May 2019, the Club unveiled its comprehensive master plan, which was followed by the submission of a business case to the Stage Government.

Stage One works included the upgrading of women’s football facilities in the John Gent Stand at VU Whitten Oval, and the installation of a new scoreboard.

Our ultimate ambition is to make the Whitten Oval precinct the heart of the community - an everyday precinct to spectate, celebrate and discover.
- Western Bulldogs President Peter Gordon

Today’s funding announcement paves the way for Stage Two of the redevelopment to progress to the next stage.

In this stage of works, at a cost of between $40-$45 million, the Club plans to revamp the Whitten Stand to include upgraded administration facilities (featuring a community hub and large function space), re-design AFL and AFLW player changerooms and high performance areas, reconfigure the playing field and the install broadcast quality lighting to host AFLW and VFL night games.

For visitors to the upgraded precinct, there are plans to create a new Barkly Street frontage, improved pedestrian access to Whitten Avenue, community outdoor workout areas, expanded green space, a match-day pavilion and an increase in carparking.

The Bulldogs have worked closely with Maribyrnong City Council, local residents and precinct tenants throughout the planning process so far.

A town planning application is currently in progress with Council, which includes a period of community consultation.

The Club has committed to fund some of the costs associated with the next stage of the redevelopment, with a portion of the funds secured from the imminent sale of its gaming machines to be allocated to the project.

“This project is a massive win for the people of the west and not just football fans, with the needs of the community central to the planning and delivery of the redevelopment,” said Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, Martin Pakula.

“It’s fantastic footy fans will be able to watch the AFLW Bulldogs and Footscray VFL teams in much improved conditions.”

Information regarding the progress of the Whitten Oval precinct project can be viewed at the Club’s redevelopment hub on westernbulldogs.com.au.

Grantysghost
15-11-2020, 08:59 AM
Fantastic news! Well done to all involved, the precinct is going to be amazing.

Some of the concept art :

https://i.ibb.co/kKf9K9q/4842922-D-3041-45-FF-B2-B6-E51-E24-FC628-A.jpg (https://ibb.co/Mn4GnGP)
https://i.ibb.co/CzzDsTW/CC4-D5-ABC-2-D73-46-A4-A4-AF-49042-E2-DFFFE.jpg (https://ibb.co/4773g5J)
https://i.ibb.co/DDvdMfB/A8-A9-AA9-C-ED48-45-E4-A538-75-CA6-FA62-A0-A.jpg (https://ibb.co/gMfYWZ0)
https://i.ibb.co/yVKnmd6/D96-CFFD2-A1-A6-4-A3-B-B006-8-D927-BCB3-DB6.jpg (https://ibb.co/52CWXGr)

ledge
15-11-2020, 09:06 AM
One thing needs urgent attention is the toilets and more of them.
Hopefully the Whitten stand isn’t totally destroyed ., keep the seats for the outer wing and you can’t let go of the EJ Whitten sign it has to be stuck back up its iconic !

comrade
15-11-2020, 09:40 AM
Decent week for the club...

Grantysghost
15-11-2020, 10:12 AM
Decent week for the club...

So good. Wonder if they showed Treloar the plans as part of the sell. Must've been other Vic clubs into him.

bornadog
15-11-2020, 10:54 AM
This is terrific news for the club and western suburbs.

Great job by Ameet and the team that put this proposal together and lobbied the Government.

bulldogtragic
15-11-2020, 11:01 AM
Great news.

So the Geelong Kardinia Park funding is now a good thing too?

bornadog
15-11-2020, 11:02 AM
Great news.

So the Geelong Kardinia Park funding is now a good thing too?

Nah, we don't care about them :D

ledge
15-11-2020, 11:05 AM
Great news.

So the Geelong Kardinia Park funding is now a good thing too?

I think any upgrade on the suburban grounds is a good thing.
I played a grand final in the 80s at the junction oval it was sad how deteriorated it was.
I think it’s the one they have made the home of Vic cricket now, great to see.

bulldogtragic
15-11-2020, 11:11 AM
Nah, we don't care about them :D


I think any upgrade on the suburban grounds is a good thing.
I played a grand final in the 80s at the junction oval it was sad how deteriorated it was.
I think it’s the one they have made the home of Vic cricket now, great to see.

I was a just playing around, tongue in cheek. Some posters, and myself was thinking to some degree, commented about the investment in Kardinia Park with government budgets being shot. We can't really pot anyone now, with a terrific announcement like this. Hopefully the Fed's can come up with funds for a multi story car park on top of the existing plan.

bornadog
15-11-2020, 11:35 AM
I was a just playing around, tongue in cheek. Some posters, and myself was thinking to some degree, commented about the investment in Kardinia Park with government budgets being shot. We can't really pot anyone now, with a terrific announcement like this. Hopefully the Fed's can come up with funds for a multi story car park on top of the existing plan.

The budget for the development is around $50 million, so we still have to find $14 million. Pretty sure we have a large proportion of that sitting in the bank.

The club has done so well off field, and we will also report a small profit this year, even after losing massive revenue due to covid19. Unfortunately we have lost a lot of good people due to the forced cuts.

Eastdog
15-11-2020, 02:43 PM
Great news!!

jeemak
15-11-2020, 03:00 PM
I guess it comes down to cost versus community benefit and how much of the profit generated goes directly to a sporting club.

How much will the redevelopment contribute to our gate receipts for AFL home games? That's a rhetorical question, of course..........

ledge
15-11-2020, 03:13 PM
I guess it comes down to cost versus community benefit and how much of the profit generated goes directly to a sporting club.

How much will the redevelopment contribute to our gate receipts for AFL home games? That's a rhetorical question, of course..........

I think you mean VFL games

Happy Days
15-11-2020, 03:15 PM
Suburban footy making a comeback would be awesome, I don’t care what mental gymnastics I have to do to justify it.

jeemak
15-11-2020, 03:17 PM
I think you mean VFL games

Ledge, I definitely mean AFL games.

The redevelopment at Geelong pumps a tonne of revenue into the club through gate receipts due to it being a relatively clean stadium, whereas our home games are played at Docklands which has over time been extremely difficult to net a profit from.

I guess that's a reason why we can still get a bit shitty about the free hand Geelong is getting as a footy club, due to incumbent and prospective governments of each persuasion falling over themselves to pork-barrel their way to election victories in the region.

Ghost Dog
15-11-2020, 03:43 PM
Wow that's cool! Well done Ameet and gang.

I wish they would bring back VFL games before the main event.

ledge
15-11-2020, 04:06 PM
Ledge, I definitely mean AFL games.

The redevelopment at Geelong pumps a tonne of revenue into the club through gate receipts due to it being a relatively clean stadium, whereas our home games are played at Docklands which has over time been extremely difficult to net a profit from.

I guess that's a reason why we can still get a bit shitty about the free hand Geelong is getting as a footy club, due to incumbent and prospective governments of each persuasion falling over themselves to pork-barrel their way to election victories in the region.

They play there we don’t . We need to encourage VFL and I think the new league will help. We have had a great run with the government and handouts to Whitten oval the last few years .
Other point is Geelong is a city on its own we are just another suburb of Melbourne.
Geelong is also along the shore and great for tourism with all the towns around it.
We can offer nothing as far as tourism is concerned.

jeemak
15-11-2020, 04:14 PM
They play there we don’t . We need to encourage VFL and I think the new league will help. We have had a great run with the government and handouts to Whitten oval the last few years .
Other point is Geelong is a city on its own we are just another suburb of Melbourne.
Geelong is also along the shore and great for tourism with all the towns around it.
We can offer nothing as far as tourism is concerned.

So all of the above means their footy club should make more money per person who goes to one of their home games than we do per person who goes to one of our home games?

I get we've been treated well and we should be grateful for the opportunity to develop our plot for ourselves and the local community. I just reserve the right to be shitty that the funding granted Geelong nets them substantial future profits from AFL gate receipts, and that they continue to act like entitled dicks irrespective of it.

HOSE B ROMERO
15-11-2020, 07:20 PM
Great work by the club.
I do find the figures thrown about as mind boggling eg '..1 million dollars allocated to detailed plans.'
Hopefully the whole of the facilities are made available and benefit the entire community.
Also that the social housing that was proposed a few years ago is included in future developments.
Go dogs.

1eyedog
16-11-2020, 10:35 AM
Ledge, I definitely mean AFL games.

The redevelopment at Geelong pumps a tonne of revenue into the club through gate receipts due to it being a relatively clean stadium, whereas our home games are played at Docklands which has over time been extremely difficult to net a profit from.

I guess that's a reason why we can still get a bit shitty about the free hand Geelong is getting as a footy club, due to incumbent and prospective governments of each persuasion falling over themselves to pork-barrel their way to election victories in the region.

Bulldogs vs GWS. Welcome to the Terrordome.

Twodogs
16-11-2020, 11:48 AM
Bulldogs vs GWS. Welcome to the Terrordome.

Yes please. If they thought that the welcome was hostile on preliminary final night 2016 then Welcome To The Terrordrome guys. I love that name. It should be written in 2 foot high letters above the entry gates.

bornadog
16-11-2020, 12:26 PM
there won't be any AFL games at VU Whitten Oval as the capacity is just not there. I am happy with that anyway, I prefer drawing big crowds at Docklands, even against visiting interstate teams.

When all the COVID stuff is gone, I predict our crowds will be huge.

1eyedog
16-11-2020, 01:16 PM
there won't be any AFL games at VU Whitten Oval as the capacity is just not there. I am happy with that anyway, I prefer drawing big crowds at Docklands, even against visiting interstate teams.

When all the COVID stuff is gone, I predict our crowds will be huge.

The Treloar signing, the fact that Dunkley is staying and even the addition of Stef Martin has raised the optimism of Bulldogs' fans leading into 2021. I'm hoping for a solid return on member numbers and good crowds next year.

Round 1 will definitely be against the Pies again.

WBFC4FFC
16-11-2020, 05:16 PM
there won't be any AFL games at VU Whitten Oval as the capacity is just not there. I am happy with that anyway, I prefer drawing big crowds at Docklands, even against visiting interstate teams.

When all the COVID stuff is gone, I predict our crowds will be huge.

Ballarat needs funding too. In particular and Extension of the Main Grand Stand to behind the goals and (somehow) making a car park of that land at the intersection of the main roads adjacent to the ground.

bornadog
16-11-2020, 05:43 PM
Ballarat needs funding too. In particular and Extension of the Main Grand Stand to behind the goals and (somehow) making a car park of that land at the intersection of the main roads adjacent to the ground.

There is another thread on WOOF with latest funding of $6 million and how that will be spent.

angelopetraglia
16-11-2020, 08:18 PM
Amazing news. It is so good to see these facilities continue to improve, modernise and be an amazing resource for Western Suburbs.

Eastdog
22-11-2020, 03:37 PM
Amazing news. It is so good to see these facilities continue to improve, modernise and be an amazing resource for Western Suburbs.

The Melbourne Airport Rail Link coming as well. Could potentially be a game changer for Sunshine.

ledge
22-11-2020, 03:55 PM
The Melbourne Airport Rail Link coming as well. Could potentially be a game changer for Sunshine.

A good time to buy a house in Sunshine .. like yarraville, went through the roof price wise once the ring road came along.

Eastdog
22-11-2020, 07:34 PM
A good time to buy a house in Sunshine .. like yarraville, went through the roof price wise once the ring road came along.

I have lived mostly in the eastern suburbs and still live in the east but yes the inner western suburbs (Footscray, Yarraville, Newport etc) now is getting people who grew up in the eastern subrubs who have been now priced out from the eastern suburbs and even the inner north (Thornbury, Northcote, Brunswick etc) is getting expensive now. Sunshine/Braybrook could be next to take off. Close to the city and still relatively affordable.