The Master Plan

Proposed future usage of the S A Coventry Pavilion (Social Club)

The City of Yarra since taking vacant tenancy of Victoria Park in 2005 for the first time since the ground was leased to the Collingwood Football Club in 1892 has undergone several reviews of the ground's usage.  The listing of Victoria Park on the Victorian Heritage register has protected the ground and the structures built and paid for by the members of the Collingwood Football Club temporarily.  The Council is required to seek permission and the public must be fully consulted in any matters relating to major alterations to the ground.  However, this is purely a beaurocratic layer added to formalise the council's underlying desire to destroy what is one the most significant pieces of sporting architecture and heritage in Australia.

Documents outlining the Yarra City's plans are attached;

Conservation management Plan	Prepared by Allom Lovell & Associates for the YCC in 2003
Hertiage Master Plan	This document outlines structure by structure the intentions of the Yarra City Council.
The Master Plan	The architects initial drawings of the proposed changes.
The Revised Master Plan	Revised drawing that includes the retention of the Rush Stand terraces.

Several points are still of great concern;

• The sweeping canterlevered roof on the Bob Rush Stand is earmarked for demolition in October of 2009.  This stand was first opened in 1966 and provided spectators with covered standing and seated areas.  Apart from the MCG, this was the first covered facility for patrons in 'the outer' that did not have a view obstructed by pillons and made Victoria Park the second best football facility in Victoria.  Season reserved seats have been sold in the grand stand for decades and whole families would sit in the same place for season after season.
  
  The reason given to remove the roof is open the view for the residents of Turner Street.  What view?  The view of the elevated railway line or Victoria Park Station?  Do they want a view of the Eastern Freeway perhaps?  At present the grand stand filters alot of the noise that most sensible residents would consider a nuisence so I do not see why the spectacular 140m long black and white striped steal and steal-reinforced concrete roof should be removed.
  
  The soil used as fill beneath the terracing of the R T Rush Stand has been found to contain significant levels of contaminents and is a public health risk if the concrete terracing enclosing it is removed.  The council cannot remove the terracing and lower the profile of the mound as this would be prohibitively costly.
  

• Removal of the scoreboard.  SAVED!!! The scoreboard is very delapidated and a serious health risk in it's current state.  However, the frame is made from steal and is structurally sound.  It would not take much to restore the rotten wood and add a lick of paint, this is a much better option.
  

• The lowering of One-Eyed Hill.  The grass mound at the Yarra Falls end of the ground is scheduled to be lowered as the tin fencing seperating the ground from Bath Street is removed.  That soil is the same soil built up in 1892 when the ground was first prepared for use by the Collingwood Football Club.  To dramatically change the hill would be cultural vandalism.  Collingwood fans have stood on this hill and cheered the Mighty Magpies for over 107 years.