Still getting close to Ballarat though. Quite possible we could fit games against say the GC in with that capacity.
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Not sure what it is exactly. Someone on here might know more.
The wooden seats = old school :) When I’m at the Whitten Oval I always love to sit in the Whitten Stand and I think back this was buzzing in the 80s before I was born when we had great wins.
Nowadays I think we are just comfortable in the seats at the G and Marvel.
From memory FA and the Thatcher government in England held an enquiry after the Bradford fire in 1985 and banned stadia (the correct plural form of stadium;)) with wooden seating from hosting matches in England. The AFL did make out that they had surveyed the grounds in the early '80s and held concerns about how a few could have been problematic if there was a fire but that had more to do with ground rationalization and getting rid of grounds like Whitten oval than any deeply held concerns about safety.
The redevelopment of Whitten Oval is a step closer with Maribyrnong council granting the Western Bulldogs a planning permit.
At the last council meeting, the council considered the $50 million project which includes a new indoor recreation facility, museum, and playground and will increase the capacity of the function centre, car parking area, offices and retail spaces on the oval.
This would be in addition to demolishing and replacing the existing E.J Whitten Stand, installing new light towers, and resurfacing the playing field
Councillors granted the permit, but supported objectors’ calls to ensure that Spurling Reserve remained available to the public at all times and the continued community use of the both facilities.
Mayor Michael Clarke says councillors could see the economic and community wellbeing benefits from the introduction of the function centre, shop and café and the addition of a basketball court and playground and improved pedestrian access to and around the site, including for those requiring disability access.
But he said they also recognised that Spurling Reserve has played a fundamental role in providing localised open space for residents in an area which has a shortfall of publicly accessible open space.
“We cannot support it being fenced off for car parking.”
In granting the planning permit, council is requiring all existing car parking within Spurling Reserve, adjacent to Barkly Street, be removed.
Council will write to the Bulldogs to explore the establishment of a community working group to formalise continued community access to Whitten Oval and Spurling Reserve.
The Club will also be required, following the first televised matches, to submit its lighting plan to council for approval.
Demolishing the E.J. stand. The price of progress, bit sad though lots of memories there over the years.
I saw this photo on Facebook and agree with what many people pointed out - surely they could have taken down and preserved the signage?
They could have preserved a lot and auctioned/sold it off to supporters. Ripping it down like that and destroying everything just seems like we're destroying history. I saw the post on Facebook as well, like you said, lots of old supporters really unhappy with what they did and that photo.