Brookvale Oval

[Beaver]

After last night's threats of relocating Sydney teams, we need to start being proactive in ensuring we stay on the Northern Beaches.

There's been promises and speculation for over 25 years that Brookvale Oval will be upgraded all to no avail. In the meantime we get left further behind the development and infrastructure of other teams.

This may seem very pie in the sky, but have we ever explored the idea of relocating to and developing Manly Oval? Hear me out... I would say we stand a greater chance of Government funding if it's made an all purpose venue for other codes, easier to get to for fans (and away supporters) that live on the other side of the bridge (easy ferry ride) and there's the potential to be one of the most picturesque 20k + seat stadiums in the country. That would lead inevitably to greater broadcast coverage.

I see a huge upside to being right next to the ferries in moving large crowds in/out and it would be great for businesses on the Corso. You're starting to get the full match day experience the top dogs in office are pushing.

We're currently getting bent over backwards by the council rates being paid at Brooky and I don't see a future for us in the Manly Warringah region if we stay put in our much loved but decaying home.

 

[manlyfan76]

Alternate weeks with ra ra
Could work.

 

[Bearfax]

Manly Oval is a lovely little oval, and the idea suggested is a logical one but for one problem. It is just too small and has no room for expansion. The north and east sides of the ground have no space whatsoever for more than a few rows of seats. The grandstand is cute but doesn't hold a great number of people and again has nowhere to expand. To the west there is some sort of club. Love the oval, played and watched many games there. But its capacity cant be more than 5000, of which 2000 seating under cover. At best you may be able to expand a little but I doubt you could get more than one or two thousand more into that small space

 

[The Wheel]

Maybe Manly Rugby should make Lottoland their home instead of a cricket ground with no corporate facilities that makes Lottoland look like the MCG

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

After last night's threats of relocating Sydney teams, we need to start being proactive in ensuring we stay on the Northern Beaches.

There's been promises and speculation for over 25 years that Brookvale Oval will be upgraded all to no avail. In the meantime we get left further behind the development and infrastructure of other teams.

This may seem very pie in the sky, but have we ever explored the idea of relocating to and developing Manly Oval? Hear me out... I would say we stand a greater chance of Government funding if it's made an all purpose venue for other codes, easier to get to for fans (and away supporters) that live on the other side of the bridge (easy ferry ride) and there's the potential to be one of the most picturesque 20k + seat stadiums in the country. That would lead inevitably to greater broadcast coverage.

I see a huge upside to being right next to the ferries in moving large crowds in/out and it would be great for businesses on the Corso. You're starting to get the full match day experience the top dogs in office are pushing.

We're currently getting bent over backwards by the council rates being paid at Brooky and I don't see a future for us in the Manly Warringah region if we stay put in our much loved but decaying home.

As Bearfax pointed out.

Plus it’s the same Council now, the one that seemingly does us few favours further north.

Then there are the local nimbys.

Ironically the club put down its roots at Brookvale in the first place because the old Municipality of Manly (plus the Manly Blues presumably) didn’t want us using Manly Oval.

 

[Loobs]

Rat Park. And that conversation has been done to death here.

Has anyone gone past the oval at Gore Hill near RNS? They re-opened it the other weekend after a 10M overhaul. Astro-turfed. I've played 6 a side on there - it's fantastic and the surface even after a downpour is perfect. Why couldn't that work in the NRL?

Swans were doing an AFL clinic for schools down there today. Was jammed with kids playing AFL. God forbid Manly do that with the local schools at Narrabeen...

 

[Bearfax]

Actually Rat Park is a far better proposal than Manly Oval because it has a lot of park land around it that could be converted into a stadium like ground with secondary grounds alongside it. Difficulty is there are a lot of sports played around the fields that surround Rat Park and the council would quickly put a stop to such a venture. Same applies to District Park in North Manly near the golf course. I'm afraid we are stuck with Brookie

 

[Loobs]

Actually Rat Park is a far better proposal than Manly Oval because it has a lot of park land around it that could be converted into a stadium like ground with secondary grounds alongside it. Difficulty is there are a lot of sports played around the fields that surround Rat Park and the council would quickly put a stop to such a venture. Same applies to District Park in North Manly near the golf course. I'm afraid we are stuck with Brookie

If you could incorporate the driving range into the development you could keep the grounds at the back which you'd probably want for parking on a game day, although you could also use the grounds on the other side of the road for it. Just way more options there. Still also get a nice location. Way better than Manly

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Back during the Club’s visionary phase about a half century ago, they looked at buying land for a new home ground at Terrey Hills (or perhaps Duffy’s Forest).

Of course nothing came of it and they could have been stuck with the sort of financial millstone that the Sharks have swinging around their necks.

So perhaps we are better off at Stadium Brookvalia.

 

[The Who]

Manly Oval is really a cricket oval, and a small one at that.
The Manly Marlins should play out of Brookvale Oval, but only once the Council improves the surface and the Government invests more in the stands and facilities.
I almost puke when I hear the State Government's argument for pulling down Allianz as "not enough women's toilets" and "fire safety concerns". Where is their concerns for Brookvale, Leichhardt and Kogarah Ovals which are decaying daily?
Bloody rubbish reasons for destroying a very good 30 year old oval and building a slightly better one for $670-M on the same spot!
If you want to build a brand new stadium how about you look somewhere on the north side of the Harbour? I presume you know where that is, Gladys, seeming that this is the region that votes Liberals into Parliament.
Realistically, Rat Park is the only sensible location for a big stadium, and it should be shared by both rugby codes.

 

[Pittwater Legend]

Pretty much agree with Bearfax that Manly Oval would be too small and the streets around it would **** itself with all the traffic on game day. It’s a shame because it’s a beautiful location.

As others have also mentioned, Rat Park is a perfect location for a state of the art stadium.

The fields near Glenrose Shopping Centre would also have space for a decent stadium but it’s a little tucked away and I don’t think the locals would be keen on it.

 

[Loobs]

Pretty much agree with Bearfax that Manly Oval would be too small and the streets around it would **** itself with all the traffic on game day. It’s a shame because it’s a beautiful location.

As others have also mentioned, Rat Park is a perfect location for a state of the art stadium.

The fields near Glenrose Shopping Centre would also have space for a decent stadium but it’s a little tucked away and I don’t think the locals would be keen on it.

With Rat Park there is accommodation for out of state teams next door as well at the caravan park.

 

[Peter C]

Manly Oval is really a cricket oval, and a small one at that.
The Manly Marlins should play out of Brookvale Oval, but only once the Council improves the surface and the Government invests more in the stands and facilities.
I almost puke when I hear the State Government's argument for pulling down Allianz as "not enough women's toilets" and "fire safety concerns". Where is their concerns for Brookvale, Leichhardt and Kogarah Ovals which are decaying daily?
Bloody rubbish reasons for destroying a very good 30 year old oval and building a slightly better one for $670-M on the same spot!
If you want to build a brand new stadium how about you look somewhere on the north side of the Harbour? I presume you know where that is, Gladys, seeming that this is the region that votes Liberals into Parliament.
Realistically, Rat Park is the only sensible location for a big stadium, and it should be shared by both rugby codes.

Allianz , even though it's only thirty years old, was done on the cheap, the roof is hopeless, it provides very little rain protection , and also has the same problem as ANZ Stadium, in that the seating isn't tiered enough , the tendency these days is to put you on top of the action, similar to what they've done at Suncorp.
Having said that, I would love an Allianz type of stadium for Brookvale

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Bloody rubbish reasons for destroying a very good 30 year old oval and building a slightly better one for $670-M on the same spot!
If you want to build a brand new stadium how about you look somewhere on the north side of the Harbour? I presume you know where that is, Gladys, seeming that this is the region that votes Liberals into Parliament.
Realistically, Rat Park is the only sensible location for a big stadium, and it should be shared by both rugby codes.

Is that you Fitzy? Always thought you disliked Manly.

Let’s take the emotion out of it. There are very sound reasons, not rubbish reasons, for replacing Allianz. The problem is that the government via the relevant minister has failed to cut through on the messaging. This has created a one note issue for Daley to try and take the reins in Macquarie Street. The money proposed for Allianz is a drop in the ocean compared to the overall infrastructure budget.

A real blunder is the planned move of the Powerhouse to Parramatta, at significant and unnecessary cost, to a site where it will lose the cultural relevance it has now - near the cradle of Sydney’s industrial heritage.

Meanwhile Northern Beaches Council (i.e. Mayor Regan), despite being in the financial pink since the amalgamation, still clings to the excuse that the ground needs to be placed under the control of a trust. Whatever else he is, Regan is a political animal and he knows that is highly unlikely. If you do it for Brookvale, why not Kogarah, Leichhardt, Campbelltown, et al? So Regan does as little as possible.

Therefore at the political level, Manly’s Issues lie with Council, not the state and federal governments, who have both pledged money for s significant upgrade at the northern end.

Again, Regan is the issue. Not Berejiklian - who of course hails from the north side. So she knows where it is.

 

[The Who]

What an insult, suggesting I'm in any way that bandanna-wearing leftie! It just happens that he is correct on this issue.
You say there are "very sound reasons for replacing Allianz". But you don't give any.
And if $670-M is a "drop in the ocean" then I'm sure we'd all like 20% of the drop to rebuild Brookie.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

$670 million is relatively small, in relation to a capital works programme running into many billions of dollars over the forward estimates.

You may have missed my point. There is money for Brookvale. Over $30 million. That’s not insignificant for a suburban ground. The issue is Council intransigence. Hopefully this time around they (Club and Council) can get this current scheme approved and built in good order.

If you haven’t followed the arguments regarding Allianz and the reasons why, I am not going to repeat them ad nauseam here. Others have already highlighted some of the key reasons in this thread.

Are the Wheel and The Who one and the same, or are you just chained to the Wheel? Funny that you dislike Fitzy and yet you have fallen for similar arguments re: the stadiums issue.

 

[The Who]

$670 million is relatively small, in relation to a capital works programme running into many billions of dollars over the forward estimates.

You may have missed my point. There is money for Brookvale. Over $30 million. That’s not insignificant for a suburban ground. The issue is Council intransigence. Hopefully this time around they (Club and Council) can get this current scheme approved and built in good order.

If you haven’t followed the arguments regarding Allianz and the reasons why, I am not going to repeat them ad nauseam here. Others have already highlighted some of the key reasons in this thread.

Are the Wheel and The Who one and the same, or are you just chained to the Wheel? Funny that you dislike Fitzy and yet you have fallen for similar arguments re: the stadiums issue.

An independent report has just been released stating that it would have cost only $18-Million to upgrade Allianz Stadium to meet safety and female toilet needs. You have been blinded by a concocted report that tried to find reasons to justify the ridiculous new stadium argument. Anyone who has worked for a Government will explain to you how propaganda works.
I don't know The Wheel but if he has the same opinion as me on certain matters then that is nice to know.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

$18 million. That’s great. But it will not yield a modern stadium and that’s the key argument. It’s academic now, because it sounds like Allianz is too far gone demolition wise.

Have you noticed the diametric opposition of our arguments re: Brookvale and Allianz? I would be happy with the current plans at the former, you probably prefer a complete rebuild.

At Allianz, the reverse applies. You favour a minor upgrade, I can see the logic of a complete rebuild, a la Parramatta’s atadium.