Phillip Oval Proposals

So as I mentioned previously, the name has been changed by stealth to avoid raising the hackles of the ACT AFL Community. Football Park has been known Football Park since the 70’s or early 80’s…

There isn’t a whole lot of land unused at the moment – but if the squash courts were included in any redevelopment, as well as the old Slovenian club (is it still going?) the possibilities begin to grow.

And Chris, I have been asking questions of ACT Sport and Rec for the past three years. And every time, they tell me they do not have any money to redevelop the oval…

Hello everyone, we’ve got a bit sidetracked. The area we’re talking about has two names – the ground itself appears to be called Phillip Oval – see the Woden TC Master Plan, link is above from Pandy, who had it right all along.

The larger recreational precinct appears to be called Football Park (or perhaps it’s the other way round!). Anyhow, the topic of this debate is the park surrounded by Launceston St and Irving St in Phillip (NOT the area near the Hospital).

Again Pandy is right in the latest post – it will be hi-rise surrounding the oval. The WVCC is not against commercial/residential development in this area – it’s concerns are about ensuring that these don’t detract from the usefulness of the ground, and there is a risk in that the development may squeeze out sporting opportunities on the site.

I encourage those who are concerned to start asking questions dirct to Sport and Rec (Lincoln Hawkins) and ACTPLA (although that will no doubt be a waste of time).

Perhaps Roland, if you’re listening in, Deb Foskey could ask a few questions?

Never heard of Phillip Enclosed Oval until a few days ago. But look at the street directory in the front of the Yellow Pages!!!! I never thought of looking there until now.

The green carpet will be replaced reading that last document I posted a link to. But where are all these buildings going to go? There really does not seem to be much space for large scale developments. Unless they are going to build right-up to the actual oval perimeter.

Pandy

The fact that there were references to Phillip Oval with Michael O’Connor grandstand was the bit which lost everyone. And no-one other than yourself had actually heard of Football Park referred to as Phillip Oval until 2 days ago.

So, as I said previously, I don’t give a flying what they do to the joint so long as the ground is restored to some of its former glory – what that means is half decent seating for a couple of thousand and the playing surface returned to the carpet it used it be. Hopefully then people are able to use it again for playing/training etc, and the current AFL training grounds squeeze that occurs for a couple of clubs is eased…

Err thanks Ludwig. That is what I have been saying.

It was on the TV news.

Googling found this: http://www.hansard.act.gov.au/hansard/2005/comms/plan08.pdf which talks about Phillp Oval.

Football Park has been bought back by the gov. and the money the ACTAFL receive will be put back into doing up the ground(A bit of a rort if you ask me, seeing as they let it deteriorate so bad). The area has been zoned for sporting&recreation. If you check logs of the assembly notes and type in “Phillip Oval” it explains in detail. The Michael O’Conner stand is at Phillip enclosed Pandy, right opposite the Hospital. He is an ex Royals player, the stand was named in his honour. There was talk about relocating a flash new stadium for the Brumbies there but that was knocked on the head.

Where did you get your information Pandy??

Well OK Heavs I tried: No luck. So OK the link I was supplied may have had an error like the grandstand name. But think about it, why would you demolish a perfectly good grandstand, when old Footy Park has a couple of clapped-out grandstands? Again I suggest they got the grandstand name wrong.

I would like to point out once again that the Government is calling the old football Park – Phillip Oval these days. You got a problem with that go and get a ticket and complain to them.

Try googling the Michael O’Connor Grandstand while you’re there Pandy. Maybe you can tell me where that one is located at Phillip (Football park) oval

Thunper, Growling Ferret please keep-up.

It does not take long to Google and find that the Phillip Oval is what I refeered to in my link above. That is what the Government calls it. It has been said several times already that the playing ground opposite the horspital is called “Phillip Enclosed Oval”. Try Googling that too. Bugger here I will help you http://eteamz.active.com/qbnwarriors/locations/ What I fnd puzzling is how a rectangular rugby/gridiron field can be called an oval.

However, I remind you that this Government is keen and is on the record to carve off community assests to erect housing. Remember that after the next election and the Labor Party decides to sell off closed schools and community ovals for housing.

What was the source of this news…?

Chris S – can someone get the terminology right. Phillip Oval has always been the field opposite the hospital. Football Park has always been the AFL Ground opposite the Phillip Ice Skating rink.

I don’t care if small parts are sold off (there isn’t a lot of spare land around the oval suitable for any large scal buildings, so long as the ground is redeveloped to the equivalent standard of say Greenway Oval.

Guys and Gals, the Woden Valley Community Council has been keeping an eye on this. The WVCC was one of the main contributors to the Woden TC Master Plan and are dismayed by the continuing state of Phillip Oval.

Their meeting on 3 May was primarily dedicated to this matter, when Lincoln Hawkins, late of ACTPLA, now with Sport and Rec, tried “snowing” those that attended with BS about how it was all under control.

It’s a dangerous, unattractive site that has been left to firebugs and vandals, with little security and no real planning for the future.

The WVCC meets on the first Wednesday of every month at the Hellenic Club; current contact is Mike Reddy. Happy to post more contact details if anyone is interested.

That line is a bit of a giveaway VG, you’re right. However “The plan involves rejuvenating the grounds, demolishing the Michael O’Connor grandstand …” is pretty confusing because there is no Michael O’Connor grandstand at Football Park (or Phillip Oval as it appears to now be called). That stand is at Phillip Enclosed Oval. Someone somewhere has got this ass about.

So Football Parks name has been changed to the confusing Phillip Oval by stealth to avoid scrutiny?

When people comment its disused, the ACT Grounds staff declared the oval off limits. The ground would still be used by Canberra Senior and District clubs, but the ground surrounds (fencing and changerooms) were deemed as unsafe 3 years ago, and noone wanted to take responsibility to fix it up.

If the joint had been kept in some sort of condition, the grandstand would never have been burned down. When AFL Canberra sold/gave the ground back to the ACT Government, a commitment to keep it as a decent facility was made. If turning all the surrounds into another pokie palace is the way to make it happen, then make it happen…

This line SHOULD give away what they are talking about:

‘The neighbouring Helenic Club’s ‘

Being as that club is next to Phiilip Oval, formerly known as Football Park, the oval they are talking about is the disused football park, not Phillip Enclosed Oval, which is Royal’s home ground….or was last time I checked or played there

Football Park ***IS**** Phillip Oval

[link – pdf]

Look at least at section 5.18

Is that a bare-bones development?

Good spot for a worm farm?

They’d be turning in their graves if they heard …

People are dying to get there….

… it’d be unpleasant to turf them out.

Unfortunately the existing inhabitants would have rather long-term land tenure.

At least you would know that your property would be in the dead centre of Woden.

No stone should be left unturned to make sure it doesn’t happen

I suspect that alot of Canberra would be dead aginst that Ferret

Ari

Are you on all week?

There would be grave concerns if they did that.

Phillip Enclosed is opposite the hospital.

Football Park is opposite the Hellenic Club and Phillip Pool and Skate Rink.

Yet another valuable community asset to be hocked off to the highest bidder.

Are they going to sell the cemetary next?

Football Park does not = Phillip Oval.

Phillip Oval is the ground oppposite the hospital.

Football Park = Phillip Oval

Build apartments on top of it, and make them seven stories high!

Are we talking about Football Park at Phillip or that rugby ground opposite the hospital?

This is Royal Rugby’s home ground. The O’Connor stand was built by fundraising from them, so I do believe that they ought have a significant say in what occurs here.

The mayor will be happy to sell this to help balance the books.

And what happened to the insurance collect from when the feral arsonist(s) torched the grandstand?

That weed infested waste? Bulldoze the sucker and put in a nuclear waste storage facility.

How about a high rise residential complex with lots of offices, more retail space and a dragway on the roof. Think of the tourist value and the publicity. Not to mention the need for very careful driving or Darwin award winning opportunities.

Woden could always use more shops.

Or we could site the dragway there ?