News: Fix sprinklers or we leave Brookie, warns Lowe

[Rusty]

Manly Oval is around 7000 and Rat Park is 10,000. Seating is small and both just won't do the job. North Sydney Oval can hold around 20,000 and would be the closest.

North Sydney Oval costs a lot to hire, one of the big reasons the Bears were trying to move.

Our best bet would be to keep playing at brookie or at worst move some games to SFS while petitioning the state and federal governments with the co-operation of one of the other councils (Ie. Manly or Pittwater) to build a new stadium. Can you imagine a top level stadium built in the center of Manly as the home of the MWSE, it would be superb, and I bet we would get more cooperation from the council down there then we currently do. Forget about upgrading brookie, get the federal government to spend a little of the stimulus package on a brand new stadium, then all we would have to deal with is the same crap conditions for the next 5 years of so while the new stadium was being built.

Warringah council would likely get a beter attitude as soon as it was clear we had another option anyway.

 

[eagles2win]

It's a shame we don't have an insanely rich owner like Jerry Jones who owns the Dallas Cowboy's he could rebuild our Stadium for a little over $100 million pocket change for him.

 

[Fro]

not if the council didnt approve it he couldnt

 

[Duff]

[quote author=ManlyBacker link=topic=183672.msg268354#msg268354 date=1277169477]
Manly Oval is around 7000 and Rat Park is 10,000. Seating is small and both just won't do the job. North Sydney Oval can hold around 20,000 and would be the closest.

North Sydney Oval costs a lot to hire, one of the big reasons the Bears were trying to move.

Our best bet would be to keep playing at brookie or at worst move some games to SFS while petitioning the state and federal governments with the co-operation of one of the other councils (Ie. Manly or Pittwater) to build a new stadium. Can you imagine a top level stadium built in the center of Manly as the home of the MWSE, it would be superb, and I bet we would get more cooperation from the council down there then we currently do. Forget about upgrading brookie, get the federal government to spend a little of the stimulus package on a brand new stadium, then all we would have to deal with is the same crap conditions for the next 5 years of so while the new stadium was being built.

Warringah council would likely get a beter attitude as soon as it was clear we had another option anyway.
[/quote]

The whole reason we play at Brookie is because back in the 40's Manly Council were so pro-Union, they didn't want a bar of League.

Anyone talking about Rat Park & Manly oval should go & have a look at them. Brookie oval is Buckingham Palace in comparison.

No new stadiums please. We can't end up one of the faceless, bland stadium playing clubs. We're not big enough. We need to stand out & market ourselves on what makes us different & appeal to people with depth of character, we just can't compete with the others if we try to be them. Brookie has class. Like the QVB & Town Hall amongst the anonymous glass, steel & concrete towers that surround them.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Is the same sort of bluster that he aimed towards Channel 9 not too far back

Interestingly on Maori TV a few weeks back they played NRL summertime on there, in which Lowe was stating how much he loves Brookie, especially the hill, and that it is imperative that we stay there in the future

Ryan, you are slipping mate, we normally wouldn't have to wait 13 replies for you to get the slipper into your man Lowe

 

[vidmar]

There has been and continues to be a lot of very dedicated people working with various government bodies to lobby (and achieve) funding for the re-development of the Brookvale park area and Brookvale Park in particular.

The local council (despite it's well publicised spits and spats) are in the midst of a community consultation which by all accounts initially showsd resounding support from the community that the ground be developed.

Rest assured the Club is well supported and plays an active part in these matters.

Not sure where people get the idea that the Sea Eagles can just whisk a handful or more home games from Brooky at random - Another reason that we need a strong and well supported Football Club is that it has the preference vote on where we play

Graham Lowe (quite rightly) has raised the problems with the sprinklers (as per his duty of care as CEO) with council much the same way as any other tenant would do with a landlord of a property that was deemed dangerous - He must also look to ensure no on-going issue or repeat of the problem - He wouldn't be doing his job if he didn't?

 

[Rusty]

There has been and continues to be a lot of very dedicated people working with various government bodies to lobby (and achieve) funding for the re-development of the Brookvale park area and Brookvale Park in particular.

The local council (despite it's well publicised spits and spats) are in the midst of a community consultation which by all accounts initially showsd resounding support from the community that the ground be developed.

Rest assured the Club is well supported and plays an active part in these matters.

Not sure where people get the idea that the Sea Eagles can just whisk a handful or more home games from Brooky at random - Another reason that we need a strong and well supported Football Club is that it has the preference vote on where we play

Graham Lowe (quite rightly) has raised the problems with the sprinklers (as per his duty of care as CEO) with council much the same way as any other tenant would do with a landlord of a property that was deemed dangerous - He must also look to ensure no on-going issue or repeat of the problem - He wouldn't be doing his job if he didn't?

The problem with the community consultation process was not that the community was not behind the sea eagles, far from it. The problem was the involvement of certain councilors with an ax to grind and an alternate anti-nrl view point that makes me doubt a positive outcome will be forthcoming with this council. The options then in my mind are to await a change in government (Federal, State and Local branches) and hope for more support or to seek out the active support of the near by councils.

This would not mean a move from brookie by the way, just the threat of a move might be what we need to wake the warringah council up.

 

[The Eagle]

Lowe is a madman with an empty threat that Kirsch would be drooling over...
can you honestly imagine us leaving Brookvale Oval?
i cant and dont want to,i wish for cremation and for
my ashes to be spread along the hill at Brookvale,how could we ever replace "The Fortress"?

 

[Berkeley_Eagle]

Lowe is a madman with an empty threat that Kirsch would be drooling over...
can you honestly imagine us leaving Brookvale Oval?
i cant and dont want to,i wish for cremation and for
my ashes to be spread along the hill at Brookvale,how could we ever replace \"The Fortress\"?

A super rich Benefactor to build a Stadium similar to the titans at Narrabeen

 

[Guest]

Great response from our fearless leader Mr Lowe. Ill take my bat and ball and go home.

Well thought out sir. Great leadership...but like you Ryan what else would you expect!!!!

 

[Matabele]

Graham Lowe (quite rightly) has raised the problems with the sprinklers (as per his duty of care as CEO) with council much the same way as any other tenant would do with a landlord of a property that was deemed dangerous - He must also look to ensure no on-going issue or repeat of the problem - He wouldn't be doing his job if he didn't?

  As a Board member of the FC, you really support the CEO making noises to remove games from Brookvale, at a time where there are significant agitators on Council attempting to do just that?  I'd suggest his rhetoric is totally contradictory to the aims and intent of the FC?

 

[vidmar]

“As a Board member of the FC, you really support the CEO making noises to remove games from Brookvale, at a time where there are significant agitators on Council attempting to do just that?  I'd suggest he has acted in a way totally contradictory to the aims and intent of the FC.  Will your friends now knife him like they did Mayer, or does he have a benefactor that controls the majority of the board?”

Not sure why you edited your original post from the one above? However - Don’t be silly Matabele…posts like that are what we expect from a lazy sloppy, rubbish reporter from the Telegraph

Re-read the article at the head of this thread..

“Mr Lowe yesterday told the Daily the Sea Eagles will be forced to find an alternative venue if the council cannot cover the sprinklers for upcoming games…
``There’s no way that we are going to be allowed to play any football there when it’s in that condition. We are talking about something that could be lethal…
``The situation will be fixed well before the next home game.’’

NRL operations manager Graham Annesley said he was hopeful the situation would be rectified in time for the next game at Brookvale.

``Everyone has got occupational, health and safety responsibilities that we need to address,’’ he said.

This of course does not indicate that Graham Lowe wants to shift a game but may be forced to if the situation is not rectified.

It may be of interest to people to know that there have been a number of motions raised at council that have included matters of interest to the Sea Eagles over the last 18 months or so and on each case the councilors have voted in favour of what was best for the Sea Eagles.

I spoke at length with Cr. Kirsch at the Brekkie at Brookie event and she told me and others a number of times that she “does not want the Sea Eagles to have to leave Brookvale Oval”.

She seems to be softening her stance as she realises that there is significant support from the community for the club to stay and her focus now seems to be how best this can be achieved whilst also allowing the stadium to be used by the wider community and allow it to be a profit centre for the council – time will tell whether she comes good on these conversations?

Mayor Reagan has publicly (a number of times) given his support to the club staying at Brookvale and of course was given additional support by Mayor Hay (Manly) at the season opening event at the Harbord Diggers.

Keep up  the support and keep the faith people?

 

[Ryan]

Next meeting, tell Lowe not to shoot his mouth then Vid. It's counter productive. Tell me, what do you think his comments meant to season ticket holders?

Or will you defend THAT as well?

Lowe keeps bleating about moving home games to New Zealand, moving them to The Central Coast, moving them to The Sunshine Coast etc....

Seriously, he just has no idea.

 

[Guest]

My understanding is that the club can only play a max of two home games per year away from brookie oval.

If we can get more revenue from having a game in New Zealand and Sunshine coast than bluetongue stadium then so be it.

The only concern is if the club tries to obtain approval from the FC to play more than two games away each year. 

Not sure what the likelihood of this is but if the crowds at brookie continue to be poor then financial situation might force the club's hand to play more home games elsewhere each year.   

 

[Canteen Worker]

As I look at the original paper article (a good idea) I can see that this is a 'storm in a teacup'. Lowe may be naiive in media matters, but all that is going on is the fact that whilst the Brookie sprinklers are broken, the NRL won't let games be played at Brookie. This stoory probably shouldn't be in the paper at all, rather just a rather big bullet fired at the council. How the agendas of taking Manly away from Brookvale arise out of reading the news article, is beyond me. However the conspiracy theorists need some petrol for their agendas and certainly won't let any truth get in the way.

 

[Matabele]

Vidmar, I edited my original post to make it less inflammatory.  However, the intent stands.  What does Lowe hope to achieve by firing public shots at the Council via the local newspaper?  And is he really so naive to assume his rhetoric would not create talk of Manly leaving the building?   

This situation is going to get worse before it gets better.  No money is forthcoming for Brookvale and there is a growing cooperative of influences that could see the club relocated.  (Of course if it becomes a case of "you will relocate" then the FC are going to have to make a decision as to whether they cop it sweet, or euthanize the club) 

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Vidmar, stop making sense mate, the original article fits the agenda best so let's please run with that one

I can't recall who has made these type of comments in the past, but I have heard them wheeled out each year for the past couple

 

[vidmar]

Next meeting, tell Lowe not to shoot his mouth then Vid. It's counter productive. Tell me, what do you think his comments meant to season ticket holders?

Or will you defend THAT as well?

Lowe keeps bleating about moving home games to New Zealand, moving them to The Central Coast, moving them to The Sunshine Coast etc....

Seriously, he just has no idea.

Ryan, I hope you read contractual agreements closer than you did the newspaper article?

I'm a season ticket holder and to me the article read that council needed to fix the sprinkler system so that we could play our next home game so our CEO was highlighting the importance of that and the implications for the club if it didn't happen? (hence my post to correct the "spin")

(The article didn't unfortunately have the photos of the sprinkler heads that the paper version showed and I for one would not like any player to come a cropper on them)

My post wasn't about "defending" Graham Lowe, rather it was pointing out the facts from the article - sorry if the facts spoiled a chance for you and Matabele to have a go at Graham Lowe again?

What is counter productive Ryan, is people "shooting their mouths off" and using any and every chance to slag off the administration of the club they claim to support.

This is not blind faith on my part (in fact far from it) as there are a number of issues currently with the club but this constant sniping at people doing their best for the club is becoming very very dull.

I'm happy to pass on your message to Graham Lowe when I next see him as you seem reluctant to take up my suggestions to call the club yourself, ask for Graham Lowe and tell him your concerns first hand - I know there are some that have done that and he has been happy to take their calls - or are you happier behind the the key board?

Canteen worker - spot on, nice one

Tookey - correct re the 2 games away from Brooky as per the constitution and preference vote the Football Club holds (hence just one reason alone that we need to have a strong Football Club membership?)

Whilst as a season ticket holder I'd prefer all games to be played at Brookie for all manner of reasons if there are valid and sound financial reasons to play elsewhere for a couple of games then I can live with that (Until of course we start to see 20k+ crowds at Brookie and increased undercover seating that we sell have the option to increase corporate dollars through development) however I can understand that games away from Brookie don't work for everyone which is why I favour a 10 or 12 match season ticket package to accomodate those that can't get to games played away from Brookie

 

[Matabele]

Until of course we start to see 20k+ crowds at Brookie and increased undercover seating that we sell have the option to increase corporate dollars through development

  When that happens it will be a grand venue for the wedding between Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy. 

 

[The Wheel]

Vidmar ? - do you (or even the f/c) have any knowledge on what the money left over (by my calculation approx $8 mill) is being used for and what works are actually planned or locked in?

I am thinking they might be holding money back for the work post the consultation process (ie the commcerical development of southern end etc).