Balmain Tigers League club development trouble?

[Ronnie Dobbs]

With the debt accrued I think it had to go that way. It is unfortunate. So many great memories of the old club

Bloody oath. Had a mate play for the Tigers in the late 90's and had several good nights with a lot of those boys at Rozelle. Memories of a time before camera phones.

Pisses me off whenever I drive past the joint if I'm out that way for work.

 

[meltiger]

so was the decision to sell off the club a few years ago the right move in hindsight?

Given it was losing money? Absoloutely.

re: the locals. Isn't the new plan before a state government committee as opposed to the greens on the council?

 

[innsaneink]

So whats happening?
Anyone go to this urgent meeting?
Seeing as there was about a dozen similar dates including last sat, I dont think it was somehow so urgent

 

[The Charlatan]

So whats happening?
Anyone go to this urgent meeting?
Seeing as there was about a dozen similar dates including last sat, I dont think it was somehow so urgent

Perhaps they've provided a number of dates to suit everybody.

 

[magpie_man]

THE future of the Wests Tigers power base could shift dramatically in favour of the Wests Magpies if the proposed development of the site of the old Balmain Leagues club does not go ahead, after the chief executive of the Balmain Leagues Club admitted it was becoming harder by the year to meet their football commitments. Balmain and Western Suburbs are half-owners of the Wests Tigers, and the relationship has always been tenuous with arguments about logos and choice of colours still raging. However, the Tigers suffered a blow when their leagues club, based on Victoria Road at Rozelle, was shut down when the former state government resumed land along that strip to build a metro-style railway that was planned to link the inner west and CBD with a rail network.
The project didn't happen and the old building is now an eyesore, covered in graffiti and said to be infested by vermin. The original proposal to redevelop the precinct was knocked back and the revised version, which is on public display, was condemned by Green groups for being too big, out of the area's character, something that'd create traffic gridlock while there was also concerns about the shadow the tower would cast over surrounding dwellings.
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Balmain relocated to two venues, the old Five Dock Bowling Club and the other at Flemington markets. However, Balmain Leagues chief executive Andy Timbs conceded business was tough and said unless they returned to where ''people know us and love us'' it could be hard to service their future commitment - which was as much as $1.5 million - as half-owners of the Wests Tigers and supporters of the local football competition.
''It puts a lot of pressure [on us],'' Timbs said of being based away from their traditional home. ''Balmain relies on a lot of support from the community by way of people being members of the club and supporting the club and if we have only [the current] two small businesses to run it will be hard to get the revenue through the business that's required to run the footy and so forth.
''Obviously, we're half-owners of the Wests Tigers and obviously that would affect that. If we continue to operate away from Rozelle we'd find it hard to continue to support [Wests Tigers] but we do our best … we always come up with the money … and it is just getting harder and harder each year.
''It's $1.5 million a year we need to come up with a year for football and it's hard to get that sort of revenue if you haven't got the big enough business to support it.''
Timbs said it was clear people in the area were passionate about their team and said he received 30 calls a day asking when the club would return to Victoria Road.
''People want their club back, they want the Tigers to thrive, they want to see the local football thrive and junior football develop and all of this can happen if the development goes ahead. It would be a terrible shame to see such a wonderful opportunity lost. From Balmain Leagues point of view, it was always the expectation we'd reinhabit that area and the potential to move into a state-of-the-art venue was something we were excited by.
''The structure would be the envy of the inner west.''
Timbs said he was astounded by the reaction by some groups who were aware of the facilities the new premises would offer - a medical centre, supermarket and club - and suggested people who were pro-development had been subjected to unacceptable behaviour.
''It's quite alarming and sad seeing people get into such a state where they'd end up threatening people,'' he said.
''It's sad to see that happen because they live in the same area - it would be lovely to see everyone embrace some degree of change. It's happened all through history where the naysayers are always there but sometimes we need a bit of vision."

Source


I wish these johnny-come-lately, pseudo-intellectual, chardonnay socialist wowsers would piss off; surely they can see the benefits that this development would bring to the area as well as maintaining the bond with a club which has been part of the fabric of the community for 100+ years.

 

[Fordy20]

If they had said that the medical centre would house a naturopath, a homeopath and an aromatherapist, the chardonnay sippers would have got behind it.

 

[Balmain Bug]

This is never going to get off the ground. Balmain have one foot in the grave. They are dead. How will they pay their debts?

 

[The Charlatan]

This is never going to get off the ground. Balmain have one foot in the grave. They are dead. How will they pay their debts?

As usual you only turn up when you have an opportunity to death ride a person and/or entity you have an agenda against.

No doubt you pissed your pants with excitement as you read the team sheet for this afternoon and if for no other reason I hope the boys flog the bejesus out of the Warriors this weekend just so you have to sit on the sideline for another week before you have a legitimate excuse to take a pot shot at those you despise most.

 

[Balmain Bug]

As usual you only turn up when you have an opportunity to death ride a person and/or entity you have an agenda against.

No doubt you pissed your pants with excitement as you read the team sheet for this afternoon and if for no other reason I hope the boys flog the bejesus out of the Warriors this weekend just so you have to sit on the sideline for another week before you have a legitimate excuse to take a pot shot at those you despise most.

Whooa !! Settle down girl ! LOL !!!
I just asked a simple question, how are Balmain going to pay for all of this ?? They are $10million dollars in debt and are losing $4 million dollars a year in their failed Tigers Five Dock and Tigers Markets clubs. Take your anger out on the Bufoons that have been running your club not me. They also get everything handed to them on a silver plate from Wests Tigers and they still struggle financially. The fact of the matter is, sadly they are GOOONE !! I like many others donated $1000 to Balmain in 2006 only to be shat upon by them. Wests Tigers finance their entire junior program. It is with great sadness that Balmain are DEAD AND BURIED and if you disagree with this then SHOW ME how they are not.

In regards to Wests Tigers the only people I hate are HUMPHREYS and that lunatic SHEENS. I love the team and I am extremely passionate about them.

 

[madunit]

It seems to me, sadly, that Balmain put all their eggs in the development basket.

That died and so to has any ideas the club has on making amends.

A Leagues club merger with Wests Ashfield may be the only real alternative. Make them official Wests Tigers leagues clubs

Drastic times call for Drastic measures.

 

[TV Ted Ellery]

Source


I wish these johnny-come-lately, pseudo-intellectual, chardonnay socialist wowsers would piss off; surely they can see the benefits that this development would bring to the area as well as maintaining the bond with a club which has been part of the fabric of the community for 100+ years.

Yeah I remember the good old days when Balmain was a bastion on conservatism, when its denizens were god-fearing, Alan Jones listening, gun-totting, pro-development, climate-change sceptics.

Local residents, regardless of their length of residency in the area, have a right to challenge the appropriateness of development. The first plan was rejected, among other reasons, for its size. The revised plan minimises the density of the development but drastically increases its height. I imagine that it will face the same hurdles when it comes before the Planning Assessment Commission. Another issue is traffic congestion, which affects not only the insular socialists but also the good conservative folk who commute via Victoria Rd. The question for the Commission is whether these disturbances are mitigated or offset by the benefits that the club will bring to the community.

 

[Sunshine Coast Tiger]

The current Masterplan for the site allows for height limits of up to 12 storeys on the site yet the joint planning commision rejected a project that had 11 storeys. I for one are very glad that Leichhardt Council appart from making a submission will have no say in the approval of the project.

I grew up in Balmain (lived there for 20 years) went to the local high school and primary school but as many others I grew up we have had to leave the area as it is unaffordable for many people.

The area has change a lot since I first moved in and whilst some of it has been good a lot has detracted from the area. For example people buying properties near well established live music pubs and then protesting about the noise in the Land and Environment Court. For mine a small percentage of people that have moved into the area have spolit some of the areas charm.

http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=4499

The above website allows for submission for the public on the project. I wrote a submission with the following points:

the new developement will provide an increase in much needed housing to the area. I stated that even although I grew up in Balmain it is no longer affordable for me and many people I grew up with. The addition of any new housing can start to help afforadability in the area.

I pointed out that the Balmain Leagues Club had alwayd provided for many groups in the community (not just rugby league) and should be encouraged back into the community with a viable project.

The new site is well serviced by Public Transport and these areas should become more density areas as a lot of the infersatructure is in place.

Balmain/Rozelle has been lacking a decent sized supermarket for as long as I can remember and the provision of one in the new development will be great for a large number of people

I work in a property related field (no I am not an agent) and the plans make environmental sense in decreasing the density on the site by providing taller narrower buildings.

The surrounding Rozelle shops on Darling Street would be revitalised by a project that draws in additional people to the area. Look at Norton Plaza and how Norton Street shops have thrived after this project was built. The current Rozelle shopping area on the leagues club side of Darling Street could do with upgrading.

I pointed out whilst the will be a lot of objection to the projec that even although they make a lot of noise don't necesserily represent the thoughts of everyone in the area.


In short I encourage you all to make a submission supporting the club, it will only take about 10 minutes. If you want Balmain Leagues to return to it's home please take some time and make a submission there will be thousands of submissions against the project.

I really hope Balmain Leagues/Wests Tigers take the opportunity at Friday nights game to educate people on what they can do to help support the return of Balmain Leagues.
http://www.weststigersforum.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=955