Brookvale Oval

[Goddo]

Manly want local member and Federal Opposition leader Tony Abbott to help build new $30m stadium
By Dean Ritchie
From: The Daily Telegraph
August 11, 2010 12:00AM
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/manly-want-local-member-and-federal-opposition-leader-tony-abbott-to-help-build-new-30m-stadium/story-e6frexnr-1225903689314

Grand plan...Brookvale Oval as it is now (left) and (right) an artists impression of how it would look after being redeveloped.

THIS is the 24,000-capacity boutique stadium Manly want local member and Federal Opposition leader Tony Abbott to help build and ensure the club remains at Brookvale Oval forever.

A host of club greats yesterday claimed the Northern Beaches ground had been constantly overlooked for federal funding because it wasn't in a marginal seat.

Sea Eagles chief executive Graham Lowe, coach Des Hasler and club greats Bob Fulton, Ken Arthurson, Geoff Toovey and Cliff Lyons have urged Abbott to inject $30 million into the decaying ground, if the Coalition is elected, to build a new grandstand behind the eastern hill.

The new stadium - with five grandstands linked and the hill retained - would be state-of-the-art and offer community facilities under the main grandstand.
"[The community] are sick and tired of seeing money pumped into other grounds. Only this week the Federal Sports Minister pledged $2.7 million for a new grandstand at the home of the Windsor Wolves who play in a second-tier competition," Lowe said.

"Windsor is a marginal seat and that is a carrot for voters.
"The people of the peninsula have been very loyal to Tony Abbott over his lengthy political career and we are asking for them to be repaid for their loyalty.

"If we get $30 million we can have our dream ground for every sport to use."
Arthurson, a friend of Abbott's, said: "There was no problem with John Howard giving support for Kogarah and WIN Stadium in Wollongong when he was in office.

"Brookvale Oval has been neglected for too long. The people on the Northern Beaches deserve better."

Fulton, a long-time Northern Beaches resident and rugby league Immortal, said Brookvale was always neglected for funding.

"Every other club in the NRL - one way or another - has received funding from state or federal grants. The NSW Government has tipped in $6 million and Warringah Council $4 million but we need much more to bring the ground up to the standard of others. The ground wouldn't just be for the Sea Eagles but for the whole community," Fulton said.

Hasler was blunt, declaring: "Our home ground is an embarrassment for our fans. He has been our member for a long time and all we have received is $1 million for an upgrade of the lighting."

Local junior Geoff Toovey added: "It is frustrating travelling to other grounds and see what they have been given while we suffer the price for not being a marginal seat.

"If Tony Abbott is elected he needs to do something as head honcho. His local opponent in the election [Hugh Zoching] has come out in support of the improvements for Brookvale and Mr Abbott needs to do the same."

Lyons said the ground had not changed since he first played there in 1986.
"While I love the ground it is now sub-standard, the people of the peninsula deserve an upgrade. They have paid the price for too long for being Liberal voters," Lyons said.

 

[Russell Crowe's Band]

one more reason not to vote for abbott.

lol

nah manly need an upgrade. considering the crowds they get is in appauling condition.

 

[Goddo]

If they don't get an upgrade soon, they will be up the creek. My major concern with this plan is that it is just another bandaid fix. 10 years from now, Manly will be putting their hand out for another $30m to redo another patch of the ground... and if crowds grow significantly, the stadium capacity growth rate will not keep up with crowds.

I wish the government would invest more in ground redevelopments and do it properly. It would last longer and cost less in the long term rather than throwing 10m here, 15m there at clubs. This goes for most Sydney clubs, not just Manly (although their stadium is currently the worst).

 

[grandorient]

I agree,

Brooky Oval has fantastic atmosphere and from my point of view, is a great place to watch footy. Even the fans I've met, have been great fun and I've always had an enjoyable time.

24,000, including the hill. Manly supporters, is that enough to ensure a viable future, say for the next 10-15 years??

You guys certainly require an upgrade though and I wish you luck.

GO

 

[Nice Beaver]

I agree,

Brooky Oval has fantastic atmosphere and from my point of view, is a great place to watch footy. Even the fans I've met, have been great fun and I've always had an enjoyable time.

24,000, including the hill. Manly supporters, is that enough to ensure a viable future, say for the next 10-15 years??

You guys certainly require an upgrade though and I wish you luck.

GO

How refreshing to hear a supporter of another club offer something constructive instead of the usual s*it you would expect!

I guess given the poor crowds that have been in this year maybe 24,000 will be enough. But then again it is probably a case of providing better facilities and then the crowds will come.

Either way it is beyond ridiculous the way the governments have ignored upgrading the ground whilst just about every other ground in the league has been given massive sums to upgrade.:x

 

[zombie jesus]

In desperate need of attention, don't think it will get anything more than band aids, would not be surprised to see us playing our games out of the SFS or elsewhere n 5 or so years.

 

[beave]

you guys deserve a decent ground. The whole ground is pretty much sub standard bar the South West corner stand. There is enough space behind that eastern hill to accommodate a stand, but to be honest, that artists impression looks very much like a band aid fix to me, manly fans should be getting better than that.

 

[winnyason]

This is why lowe is looking at home games at png of all places, and nz this is a sure money spinner manly have a big nz support maybe have to switch to waikato/wellington for 4 to 5 games?

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

Its in a terrible state Brookie. Seiffert Oval in Queanbeyan hasn't been touched in 20 years at the top level, but the surface is still in better nick & so is the hill. Stand and concourse have obviously decayed, but I wouldn't put it too far behind Brookvale, which is really nothing short of crimminal.

Its a bad look for the game to have Brookie in the state its in & its even worse for all you stinkin Eagles supporters. Ripped off deosn't even come close. Its got a great feel to it fpr watching games & deserves some cash.

How the f**k a stadium that a professional team plays out of in 2010 can still have bench seating in the outer, sub standard drainage & a local council that is apathetic at best is a disgrace.

Wher the f**k are the NRL on this? Do they really want the area between The Rocks & Newcastle to be devoid of a Rugby League team?

Easy to stoop & goad for simpletons, but Manly are a part of the fabric of this game and one of, if not actually, the best team of the last 5 years.

Solidarity from this Dragns supporter.

Youse can all get farked on Monday though......

 

[adamkungl]

Agree, hopefully Abbott is listening

 

[zombie jesus]

THE FUTURE of Brookvale Oval will again hinge on the outcome of the Federal Election after Opposition Leader Tony Abbott announced yesterday he would provide $10 million in funding to upgrade the ground if the Coalition secured government.

In a last-minute election pledge, Mr Abbott matched commitments made before the Coalition’s poll defeat in 2007.

“If there is a Coalition government returned after tomorrow, we will provide the $10 million toward Brookie Oval that we promised at the previous election,” he said.

Mr Abbott donned a Sea Eagles “Abbott number one” jersey over his shirt and tie for the announcement, which he made surrounded by Manly players and officials, admitting funding for the oval was long overdue. “The fact is that Brookie Oval is the only major NRL ground that hasn’t received any serious funding from state and federal governments over the last decade,” he said.

“All we are doing by providing this $10 million is providing the catch-up money which should have been provided a long time ago.”

Several leading Sea Eagles indentities launched calls last week for Mr Abbott, the Member for Warringah, to beat his previous election commitment.

They called for him to provide $30 million to finance much-needed major works at Brookvale Oval, which would include the construction of a new grandstand.

They claimed the ground had been consistently overlooked for federal funding because Warringah was not a marginal seat.

Nearly $50 million in federal funds have been spent on six NRL grounds in NSW since 2004, but Brookvale Oval has received only $1 million for a lighting upgrade over the same period.

The NSW Labor Government has contributed $6 million and Warringah Council $4 million as part of a package to renovate dressingrooms, seating and corporate facilities at the oval.

Labor this week refused any commitment to upgrade Brookvale Oval, although Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese said funding could be applied for in the next round of community infrastructure spending.

``Ten million dollars is a wonderful gesture on the last day of the campaign trail. It gives us a total of $16.6 million to work with. If elected, we’ll be able to have a ground that is somewhere in keeping with the rest of the grounds in the NRL in a couple of years,” Sea Eagles CEO Graham Lowe said.

http://manly-daily.whereilive.com.au/news/story/abbott-promises-10m-for-brookie/

Better than nothing I suppose, where was this merkin when Howard was PM?

 

[adamkungl]

It isn't $30 million but its something. Good stuff

 

[Goddo]

Good article by Roy Masters today, outlining how NRL clubs have been the biggest losers in recent (last 5 years) election pork barrelling.

AFL apparently is lobying Canberra for funds constantly, and members from AFL seats fear not giving cash to AFL clubs. Soccer is also equally doing very well since 2004 apparently too.

RL has some oportunities, but needs to work much harder on this. Its one area I think we are way behind in- securing funding for infrastructure. As much money ends up spent on AFL ovals as RL grounds in Sydney regardless of political party, and its shameful.

This might have a lot to do with News Ltd's, Telstra's and Channel 9's fingers being deeper in the NRL pie.

 

[zombie jesus]

'Brookie' to stand alone
COUNCIL
18 NOV 10 @ 05:05PM BY BRENTON CHERRY

WARRINGAH Council will look to make Brookvale Oval self-funding by pursuing naming rights as well as commercial development towards the southern end of the park.

The move, which needs to be approved by the councillors, follows an extensive consultation period, which saw about 3000 people have their say on the future of the spiritual home of the Sea Eagles and the park surrounding it.

The results of the consultation, released this week, showed the vast majority of those surveyed, (91 per cent), want the Manly Sea Eagles to remain at Brookvale Oval.

Also, while the community wants the oval upgraded, they do not want rates to subsidise the work and therefore want the ground to be self-funding.

Taking on board these results, the report makes 29 recommendations.

One of the key recommendations is to pursue development on the southern end of the site along Pittwater Rd, to help make the oval self-sufficient.

Naming rights is another of the major recommendations. According to council staff there is a cultural attachment to the name Brookvale Oval but, “this is something that may be overcome if “Brookvale” or “Brookie” remains in the name”.

Other recommendations include consideration of a longer lease agreement with the Sea Eagles, pursuing an upgrade of the Jane Try stand and lobbying both tiers of government to secure funding for future works.

Kerry Sibraa, the Manly Sea Eagles co-patron and representative on the Brookvale Park Stakeholder panel, said the club was delighted with the recommendations.

“We realise people want dog shows, concerts and school and local sport on Brookie but it is not going to happen with subsidisation from commercial development.”

If approved on Tuesday night, the council will exhibit plans to reclassify and rezone the southern part of the site for mixed-use development, as well as put out to tender naming rights.

http://manly-daily.whereilive.com.au/news/story/brookie-to-stand-alone/