Brunswick Street Oval Redevelopment

October 25, 2019

Have you had your say yet?

With the traditional home of the famous Fitzroy Football Club about to receive some much needed love and attention (not to mention fit-for-purpose sporting upgrades), and only a few weeks left for Roys fans to have their say about the proposals, we thought it timely to let you know why we think the concept plans are worthy of your support.

Everything will change for the better…but you’ll hardly notice that anything’s changed!

  • The heritage architects have cleverly designed and planned with the lightest possible touch. In other words, we’ll get what we need in terms of new facilities – including our own clubrooms (at long last) – without changing the look and feel of our historic ground or the surrounding gardens.
  • Where there are differences proposed, like behind the grandstand, it will be so much nicer and more useable – for the sporting clubs and the community.
  • The ingenious design does not require a new, modern building to be erected. Instead, our iconic grandstand will be invigorated in a way that will ensure a long and happy life for the future, and will hardly look any different from how it looks now.
  • The only current building that’s planned for removal is the out-of-place 1970s community room and its removal will give greater respect and prominence to the grandstand.
  • The only area of the Gardens that will be changed is the rather unsightly and underused area behind the grandstand – currently a waste of precious space and primarily used as a car park.
  • The design allows for two more tennis new courts without taking up any more ground in the Edinburgh Gardens than the sporting precinct currently does.
  • The lovely tennis court club room will be retained and moved to the new front entrance of the club.
  • The community will have their own rooms – for parties, weddings, anything – that looks out onto the park, while permanent clubrooms for the football clubs and cricket clubs will overlook the oval.
  • And the players – men, women, boys and girls – will have new, state-of-the-art change rooms, using the currently appallingly designed space wisely and well.

These are just some of the reasons we ask you to voice your support for a community project initiated by the community, with funding from local and state government sought by the community.

So check out the draft concept plan for yourself and take up the City of Yarra’s invitation to have your say!

You can view the draft plans and find out more at the City of Yarra community drop in session this Monday 28 October between 3.30pm and 6.30pm at the Brunswick Street Oval community room.

Or by Monday 4th November:

 

FJFC Committee