Minor change to LO that could make a big difference

[Yossarian]

Back in 1987 I had a visit to Keith Barnes' Office at the Balmain Leagues Club on an other matter and I noticed a framed print of the ground layout that basically made the ground a proper stadium with stands on all four ends.
At the time most of the games for the then Panasonic Cup games were played at Leichhardt and that was the time to strike to upgrade the ground, I don't know why if there were plans were for a Stadium that they didn't evenuate?.
Some people are complaining now about the conditions at the ground with 19 000 to 19 500 spectators but what about the 1980's when Balmain on several occaisions hosted crowds of 22 500 +, loved going and we all got on with life.
One of the major problems I see is the lack of transport to the ground and the difficulty in leaving by car at the end of the game, parking is difficult so if a new grandstand was to be built perhaps parking underneath?.

Probably 2 reasons why the upgrade never happened. Make it 3…

1 - The Panasonic cup fizzled out soon after 1988 when they went to 16 teams.
2 - Balmain's finances were never good enough to do that on their own.
3 - It wasn't a properly developed proposal, just a dream of Keith (I'm speculating on this one). I don't remember there ever being a serious move to build a stadium along the lines above.

I think the public transport angle is overhyped. Much better that CUA stadium for example. The bus stop isn't far and once the light rail extension is running there will be a stop even closer than Catherine Street.

Parking is an issue... Ideally you'd bung something in Callan Park but that's never going to happen.

 

[prattenpark]

psst - Balmain only had 2 crowds above 20,000 at Leichhardt in the 80's (22,750 in 89 v Penrith, and 21,707 in 85 v St George). 7 of the 10 largest leichhardt crowds have been for the Wests Tigers.

 

[Tigerdale]

Back in 1987 I had a visit to Keith Barnes' Office at the Balmain Leagues Club on an other matter and I noticed a framed print of the ground layout that basically made the ground a proper stadium with stands on all four ends.
At the time most of the games for the then Panasonic Cup games were played at Leichhardt and that was the time to strike to upgrade the ground, I don't know why if there were plans were for a Stadium that they didn't evenuate?.
Some people are complaining now about the conditions at the ground with 19 000 to 19 500 spectators but what about the 1980's when Balmain on several occaisions hosted crowds of 22 500 +, loved going and we all got on with life.
One of the major problems I see is the lack of transport to the ground and the difficulty in leaving by car at the end of the game, parking is difficult so if a new grandstand was to be built perhaps parking underneath?.

Probably 2 reasons why the upgrade never happened. Make it 3…

1 - The Panasonic cup fizzled out soon after 1988 when they went to 16 teams.
2 - Balmain's finances were never good enough to do that on their own.
3 - It wasn't a properly developed proposal, just a dream of Keith (I'm speculating on this one). I don't remember there ever being a serious move to build a stadium along the lines above.

I think the public transport angle is overhyped. Much better that CUA stadium for example. The bus stop isn't far and once the light rail extension is running there will be a stop even closer than Catherine Street.

Parking is an issue... Ideally you'd bung something in Callan Park but that's never going to happen.

u are parking in the wrong spot if you think getting out of CUA is trouble

 

[Yossarian]

Back in 1987 I had a visit to Keith Barnes' Office at the Balmain Leagues Club on an other matter and I noticed a framed print of the ground layout that basically made the ground a proper stadium with stands on all four ends.
At the time most of the games for the then Panasonic Cup games were played at Leichhardt and that was the time to strike to upgrade the ground, I don't know why if there were plans were for a Stadium that they didn't evenuate?.
Some people are complaining now about the conditions at the ground with 19 000 to 19 500 spectators but what about the 1980's when Balmain on several occaisions hosted crowds of 22 500 +, loved going and we all got on with life.
One of the major problems I see is the lack of transport to the ground and the difficulty in leaving by car at the end of the game, parking is difficult so if a new grandstand was to be built perhaps parking underneath?.

Probably 2 reasons why the upgrade never happened. Make it 3…

1 - The Panasonic cup fizzled out soon after 1988 when they went to 16 teams.
2 - Balmain's finances were never good enough to do that on their own.
3 - It wasn't a properly developed proposal, just a dream of Keith (I'm speculating on this one). I don't remember there ever being a serious move to build a stadium along the lines above.

I think the public transport angle is overhyped. Much better that CUA stadium for example. The bus stop isn't far and once the light rail extension is running there will be a stop even closer than Catherine Street.

Parking is an issue... Ideally you'd bung something in Callan Park but that's never going to happen.

u are parking in the wrong spot if you think getting out of CUA is trouble

That's not what I said. I said public transport is not great at CUA. I said parking is a problem at Leichhardt.

 

[alex]

Transport to CUA is fine. It's a 10minute walk from the train station.

That's one thing Leichhardt lacks. A train station. All other Sydney grounds, bar Brookvale, are within 15mins walk of a train station.

Makes dumping the Metro even more stupid.

 

[angeman]

build an even bigger hill!

 

[jackyg]

Transport to CUA is fine. It's a 10minute walk from the train station.

That's one thing Leichhardt lacks. A train station. All other Sydney grounds, bar Brookvale, are within 15mins walk of a train station.

Makes dumping the Metro even more stupid.

The metro was a ridiculous waste of money. I've walked that entire route several times and there are already half a dozen bus routes that get from central to rozelle/lilyfield. not to mention the light rail which goes from central to lilyfield and is being extended

 

[jackyg]

and petersham station is a 7 minute bus ride/ 20 minute walk from the ground

 

[Kul]

Transport to CUA is fine. It's a 10minute walk from the train station.

That's one thing Leichhardt lacks. A train station. All other Sydney grounds, bar Brookvale, are within 15mins walk of a train station.

Makes dumping the Metro even more stupid.

The metro was a ridiculous waste of money. I've walked that entire route several times and there are already half a dozen bus routes that get from central to rozelle/lilyfield. not to mention the light rail which goes from central to lilyfield and is being extended

I'm sorry but this is wrong.
On a Sunday arvo or Saturday night sure it's drivable and busses can eventually get you places, but what about the rest of the week?
It takes me over an hour, sometimes more, to get from my office near circular quay to TIGERS leagues club if I leave any time between 5 and 7\. That's a 6km journey, yes just 6km/h average!
Busses like the 433 and 440 can be equally as tiring. In fact at the last election the local candidate raced these busses from start to finish and surprise, surprise, he beat them walking!
No wonder people drive!
The metro system would have put Sydney in line with other Beta and Gama cities (heaven forbid, even Alpha cities).
Yep, cities as decrepit as Athens and Madrid can efficiently move their entire population from any point to another rapidly!
Look at Tokyo! A city of 24mil in the same area as Sydney, where a person in the equivalent of Sutherland can get to The equivalent of Paddington, Manly, Gladesville or Campbelltown within 20/30 minutes.
Rapid, single deck metro networks work. Major cities have proven in.
We need to get out of this big-car (commodores, falcons, Mazda6, etc) mentality, increase FSRs along major corridors, provide disincentives for urban sprawl and build a large metro web.

How many other alpha or beta cities don't have metros?

This same anti-development attitude is also killing the city in other areas, specifically Barangaroo. Clueless, selfish NIMBYS!

 

[jackyg]

Transport to CUA is fine. It's a 10minute walk from the train station.

That's one thing Leichhardt lacks. A train station. All other Sydney grounds, bar Brookvale, are within 15mins walk of a train station.

Makes dumping the Metro even more stupid.

The metro was a ridiculous waste of money. I've walked that entire route several times and there are already half a dozen bus routes that get from central to rozelle/lilyfield. not to mention the light rail which goes from central to lilyfield and is being extended

I'm sorry but this is wrong.
On a Sunday arvo or Saturday night sure it's drivable and busses can eventually get you places, but what about the rest of the week?
It takes me over an hour, sometimes more, to get from my office near circular quay to TIGERS leagues club if I leave any time between 5 and 7\. That's a 6km journey, yes just 6km/h average!
Busses like the 433 and 440 can be equally as tiring. In fact at the last election the local candidate raced these busses from start to finish and surprise, surprise, he beat them walking!
No wonder people drive!
The metro system would have put Sydney in line with other Beta and Gama cities (heaven forbid, even Alpha cities).
Yep, cities as decrepit as Athens and Madrid can efficiently move their entire population from any point to another rapidly!
Look at Tokyo! A city of 24mil in the same area as Sydney, where a person in the equivalent of Sutherland can get to The equivalent of Paddington, Manly, Gladesville or Campbelltown within 20/30 minutes.
Rapid, single deck metro networks work. Major cities have proven in.
We need to get out of this big-car (commodores, falcons, Mazda6, etc) mentality, increase FSRs along major corridors, provide disincentives for urban sprawl and build a large metro web.

How many other alpha or beta cities don't have metros?

This same anti-development attitude is also killing the city in other areas, specifically Barangaroo. Clueless, selfish NIMBYS!

spending millions (or was it billions) of dollars on a 5 km metro route isn't the answer though. that was plan was a waste of money on par with the iron cove bridge duplication

 

[Kul]

Iron cove bridge I agree with.
They should have planned to spend 20/30bil over 10/15 years to include more lines.
The CBD metro was just stage 1.

 

[_31]

If they can't fork out for a big screen atleast put up another clock….can't tell how much game time is left from the hill

 

[jackyg]

BTW when you said it took an hour to get from work to TIGERS. were you referring to the one in five dock or the one in rozelle that was forced to shut down because of the metro

 

[redemption]

Back in 1987 I had a visit to Keith Barnes' Office at the Balmain Leagues Club on an other matter and I noticed a framed print of the ground layout that basically made the ground a proper stadium with stands on all four ends.
At the time most of the games for the then Panasonic Cup games were played at Leichhardt and that was the time to strike to upgrade the ground, I don't know why if there were plans were for a Stadium that they didn't evenuate?.
Some people are complaining now about the conditions at the ground with 19 000 to 19 500 spectators but what about the 1980's when Balmain on several occaisions hosted crowds of 22 500 +, loved going and we all got on with life.
One of the major problems I see is the lack of transport to the ground and the difficulty in leaving by car at the end of the game, parking is difficult so if a new grandstand was to be built perhaps parking underneath?.

Probably 2 reasons why the upgrade never happened. Make it 3…

1 - The Panasonic cup fizzled out soon after 1988 when they went to 16 teams.
2 - Balmain's finances were never good enough to do that on their own.
3 - It wasn't a properly developed proposal, just a dream of Keith (I'm speculating on this one). I don't remember there ever being a serious move to build a stadium along the lines above.

I think the public transport angle is overhyped. Much better that CUA stadium for example. The bus stop isn't far and once the light rail extension is running there will be a stop even closer than Catherine Street.

Parking is an issue... Ideally you'd bung something in Callan Park but that's never going to happen.

Panasonic Cup moved to Parra Stadium in 1986\. It would have moved to SFS if it was still going in 1989!

Moot point!

The reason was that it went to the best-lit night ground - and back then Leichhardt reigned supreme (until Parra & SFS)!

 

[redemption]

BTW when you said it took an hour to get from work to TIGERS. were you referring to the one in five dock or the one in rozelle that was forced to shut down because of the metro

just keep asking for your stairs on the hill….

 

[Kul]

TIGERS rozelle

I live about 5/10 minutes walk from it

 

[Yossarian]

Back in 1987 I had a visit to Keith Barnes' Office at the Balmain Leagues Club on an other matter and I noticed a framed print of the ground layout that basically made the ground a proper stadium with stands on all four ends.
At the time most of the games for the then Panasonic Cup games were played at Leichhardt and that was the time to strike to upgrade the ground, I don't know why if there were plans were for a Stadium that they didn't evenuate?.
Some people are complaining now about the conditions at the ground with 19 000 to 19 500 spectators but what about the 1980's when Balmain on several occaisions hosted crowds of 22 500 +, loved going and we all got on with life.
One of the major problems I see is the lack of transport to the ground and the difficulty in leaving by car at the end of the game, parking is difficult so if a new grandstand was to be built perhaps parking underneath?.

Probably 2 reasons why the upgrade never happened. Make it 3…

1 - The Panasonic cup fizzled out soon after 1988 when they went to 16 teams.
2 - Balmain's finances were never good enough to do that on their own.
3 - It wasn't a properly developed proposal, just a dream of Keith (I'm speculating on this one). I don't remember there ever being a serious move to build a stadium along the lines above.

I think the public transport angle is overhyped. Much better that CUA stadium for example. The bus stop isn't far and once the light rail extension is running there will be a stop even closer than Catherine Street.

Parking is an issue... Ideally you'd bung something in Callan Park but that's never going to happen.

Panasonic Cup moved to Parra Stadium in 1986\. It would have moved to SFS if it was still going in 1989!

Moot point!

The reason was that it went to the best-lit night ground - and back then Leichhardt reigned supreme (until Parra & SFS)!

I think you're arguing the wrong point with the wrong person… What you're saying adds to the reasons why the LO major upgrade didn't happen.

 

[redemption]

not an argument - just stating that the above issues are so outdated we may as well go back to 1908!

Speaking of which - Balmain have never owned the ground and as such our club's finances did not impact upon Leichhardt Council's ability or willingness to "upgrade" the oval in the past 30 years!

The Council believes in "liveability" principles and as such the NIMBY vocal local newbies have provided great obstruction to what we may consider to be progress!

The Club cannot fight that in a gentrified area with so many rate-paying refugees from outer-Sydney now believing the area is their spiritual home!

 

[Yossarian]

not an argument - just stating that the above issues are so outdated we may as well go back to 1908!

Speaking of which - Balmain have never owned the ground and as such our club's finances did not impact upon Leichhardt Council's ability or willingness to "upgrade" the oval in the past 30 years!

The Council believes in "liveability" principles and as such the NIMBY vocal local newbies have provided great obstruction to what we may consider to be progress!

The Club cannot fight that in a gentrified area with so many rate-paying refugees from outer-Sydney now believing the area is their spiritual home!

I understand your point re ownership but Balmain were always the biggest tennant and so if LMC were going to cough up dough it would only do so if Balmain Football Club did likewise. You may recall WT had to kick in some money to get movement on the upgrade.

LMC has gone further downhill as the Greens get more traction. Having lived in Leichhardt itself (the suburb) I would argue that the Greens councillors are as adept as spinning crap and telling porkies to get votes as any other party and I put Jamie Parker (really a commie not a greenie) at the top of that list.

The average punter in my area loved the TIgers…

 

[redemption]

The Council are a disgrace and have been hijacked by unrepresentative Green-shrouded urban enviro-terrorists. Liveability principles have been corrupted to mean "keep non-locals out" - and as a fellow local as yourself - that was never the case even 10 years ago!

The average punter no longer exists throughout the district. We are now in a serious minority with Gen X blow-ins destroying the long-term cultural landscape!