Leichhardt upgrade

Masterton

Well-known member
Inner West Council mayor Darcy Byrne is a step closer to securing a ''once-in-a-generation upgrade'' for Leichhardt Oval after ARL Commission chairman Peter V'Landys pledged to fight for government funding for much-needed renovations.

In news that will be welcomed by every Wests Tigers fan, Byrne received a letter from V'Landys late last week asking him to submit his wish list for Leichhardt Oval.

Byrne plans to table detailed plans and specifications at the next Inner West council meeting in a fortnight before liaising on the next steps with V'Landys, who made saving suburban grounds one of his seven ''big-ticket priorities'' when first thrust into league's top job.

However, any refurbishment of Leichhardt is unlikely to convince the Tigers to play more than the current three NRL games they are required to play at the inner-western venue. They are also required to play a minimum three games at Campbelltown.


The heaving crowds that gather on the hill, especially on a Sunday afternoon, have helped the Tigers turn a small profit at Leichhardt the past couple of years, but they also know any improvement to corporate hospitality facilities and seating will improve that margin again.

Leichhardt can only accommodate around 300 corporate guests while that number swells to around 3000 at Bankwest Stadium, the $360m venue in Parramatta where the Tigers will also play games until at least the end of 2022.


"Peter has had a few things on his plate, but he replied late last week with a letter that was very effusive about the need for us to treat the grounds as assets that are part of rugby league's future,'' Byrne told the Herald.

"He asked for me to put forward specifics about the upgrades to the ground. And I'm very confident that in putting forward detailed plans for the upgrade of Leichhardt, we'll have a champion in Peter V'Landys who will help us deliver state and federal government funding []for the project].

"We need a once-in-a-generation upgrade that will future-proof the ground as an NRL venue while also not losing the charm and character that makes it one of the most popular sporting grounds in Australia.

"We want to keep the heritage of the ground, but lift the standards to what is acceptable in the modern era, and what can be profitable for a range of different sporting organisations.''

Byrne said the hill - his preferred place to stand during any Tigers game - would remain untouched, while the plan would be for more corporate suites in the main grandstand. The Keith Barnes Stand would also receive some much-needed love while there could even be a smaller grandstand erected at the northern end of the ground.

A hall of fame celebrating some of the club's greats has also been mooted, including statues, but the challenge for Byrne with this project has been settling on which players to immortalise.

In the letter sent to Byrne, and obtained by the Herald, V'Landys wrote: "As you know I'm a supporter of suburban grounds and believe they are an essential part of the fabric of rugby league. Despite the best efforts of local councils, unfortunately many of the great suburban grounds no longer meet community expectations after decades of under-investment by state and federal governments.''

Byrne said he had not chased detailed plans in the past for Leichhardt Oval because of the NRL and state government had made it clear ''they wouldn't put a single dollar into Leichhardt Oval''.

"And we weren't going to waste ratepayers dollars by going and procuring plans for something they were outright refusing to fund,'' Byrne said.


https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/a-once-in-a-generation-upgrade-v-landys-s-vow-to-revive-leichhardt-20200525-p54w74.html
 
This is the time that the club needs to choose it's one home ground and get the funding it needs for one venue with VLandys influence.
 
Lord's is to cricket as Leichhardt oval is to Football
Leichhardt oval could become quite historical in the future if funding is provided for a major revamp
I wouldn't make major changes to the existing structures as we still need to be able to identify Leichhardt
Increased capacity to 25,000 would be great but without destroying the existing stands or the grass hill
It would be great to have a bronzed statue of Laurie Nichols there somewhere as one of the greatest characters of our game
 
so much history from Amco cup games to one of sydneys first night venues for games very historical and rebuilt like Lords keeping the history and building around it.
Tiger Tiger Burning Bright
 
@willow said in [Leichhardt upgrade](/post/1151588) said:
I'd love to see the main grandstand pulled down and rebuilt.

If from politicians to sports administrators are serious about this approach ... the main grand stand needs to be demolished then made larger , the hill area has to disappear and a full large grand stand built on that area , the Northern end to be made into a non roofed elevated seating area .. the old grandstand stays as a heritage structure as what is at the SCG , now you have a ground our club could call home .The state Government could donate a slice of the hospital grounds at Rozelle for huge multi storey car park .
I am just over the crap that spews out of Politicians like Bynes who in reality is just a light weight !
This type of development could be a huge win for the inner west , larger sporting events ,cultural events , entertainment events all bringing money and jobs into the inner west area .
Reality is there is no one that wants to do anything , other than a new paint job and a few extra seats and a couple of corporate boxes ! Which equates to zero for the club wanting to make the ground our home ground
!
 
@happy_tiger said in [Leichhardt upgrade](/post/1151597) said:
You realize you'll lose the hill ....and then Leichhardt loses it's soul imo

You either want a home ground or a place that needs a lot of mowing ! The soul of the ground is the Kieth Barnes grand stand , the score board which could be moved and rebuilt in another area within the ground the location of the ground and what has transpired there the last hundred years . The soul of Leichhardt is not the Buffalo/Couch/kikuyu grass !and a grassed hill that does not meet the guidelines for Government disability access legislation maybe Bynes could comment on that one !
 
the ground before the war used to run the other way anyway before the hill the grandstand was the keith barnes stand
it makes sense to upgrade given the centre of excellence is nearby at concord
 
@Cairnstigers said in [Leichhardt upgrade](/post/1151589) said:
Lord's is to cricket as Leichhardt oval is to Football
Leichhardt oval could become quite historical in the future if funding is provided for a major revamp
I wouldn't make major changes to the existing structures as we still need to be able to identify Leichhardt
Increased capacity to 25,000 would be great but without destroying the existing stands or the grass hill
It would be great to have a bronzed statue of Laurie Nichols there somewhere as one of the greatest characters of our game

I like the gold Laurie Nichols statue idea.
 
@Cairnstigers said in [Leichhardt upgrade](/post/1151589) said:
Lord's is to cricket as Leichhardt oval is to Football
Leichhardt oval could become quite historical in the future if funding is provided for a major revamp
I wouldn't make major changes to the existing structures as we still need to be able to identify Leichhardt
Increased capacity to 25,000 would be great but without destroying the existing stands or the grass hill
It would be great to have a bronzed statue of Laurie Nichols there somewhere as one of the greatest characters of our game

I disagree. If your keeping the main stand and the hill then your only putting lipstick on a pig. Lords has modern stands all around except for one a bit like the SCG. As snake said, keep the Barnes but nothing else,then the club could play all games there.
 
Love Leichhardt Oval been going there since the days the ground ran east to west, but sadly the first thing it needs is a bulldozer and start again. Being in such a great location, Iam sure it could be developed into a top quality multi purpose sports arena, but I can not see any government throwing money at it now
 
@willow said in [Leichhardt upgrade](/post/1151588) said:
I'd love to see the main grandstand pulled down and rebuilt.

Me Too, with definitely another name.

They could also build a large grandstand (opposite end to Keith Barnes stand) if they cantilevered over the slope. (where there is a will).

Good news all the same.
 
@Snake said in [Leichhardt upgrade](/post/1151600) said:
@happy_tiger said in [Leichhardt upgrade](/post/1151597) said:
You realize you'll lose the hill ....and then Leichhardt loses it's soul imo

You either want a home ground or a place that needs a lot of mowing ! The soul of the ground is the Kieth Barnes grand stand , the score board which could be moved and rebuilt in another area within the ground the location of the ground and what has transpired there the last hundred years . The soul of Leichhardt is not the Buffalo/Couch/kikuyu grass !and a grassed hill that does not meet the guidelines for Government disability access legislation maybe Bynes could comment on that one !

I don't care what ground , what stadium , what cow paddock it is

Just as long as we win 90 % of our home games at it and oppositions have nightmares about playing their and I'll be happy (happyish )
 
I haven't lived in Sydney for forty years, so perhaps things have changed, but public transport access to the ground used to be terrible and car parking was pretty awful too. has any of that changed?
 

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