TheKITC
Cancelled
I'm very passionate about this issue and thought it deserved it's own thread to do it justice.
A few posters raised recently the issue in the BFL thread in light of The Advertiser's and 3BO's coverage regarding the Bendigo Bombers - QEO debacle.
In my opinion it's simple. We need another ground in Bendigo.
What isn't simple is how we achieve that. But stay with me for a moment.
The QEO has too much traffic on it. I know, state the obvious right? It has two tenants in South Bendigo and Sandhurst who train and play on it as much as possible which, just between these two clubs, gives it almost twice the use as say a Canterbury or Dower Park does. They have been tenants for decades and should not be limited in their use of the ground IMO.
Then we have the Bendigo Bombers and occasionally Bendigo Pioneers wishing to use it. Here lies the problem for me. 3 clubs and the occasional 4th who currently have every right to use the ground is far too much and has as David Joss pointed out, made what was the 'Jewel in the crown of CV sport' into a joke.
Not only this but you have irregular users like the recent Vic u/16, BSSC and BJFL among others who also wish to get on. In a perfect world that should be allowed, but the QEO cannot cope.
We need to realise that a well conditioned, strong QEO venue is vital to our local community in not only bringing events to our city but also in developing our sporting interests and repairing our reputation as a strong, rural centre of sport.
My answer would be to build/develop another ground, strictly for the use of the Bendigo Bombers and Bendigo Pioneers as the regular tenants.
For too long our elite teams have struggled in terms of a home ground. Whether it be the Pioneers having to share with Golden Square on a ground that quite frankly has suffered as well or the Bombers having to play no games in Bendigo which is unacceptable.
We are Bendigo; one of the strongest, largest country communities and the 2nd largest in-land population in this country. We need to do better then this.
The 3BO boys pointed out that a big opportunity was missed in the developments out Epsom way perhaps even Strathfieldsaye. Whatever your opinion is of them, they are spot on.
If we give these clubs not only a ground that they can call their own to train and play on but also the ability to have social rooms and perhaps a gym, how beneficial would that be for them and the rest of our sporting community?
The flow on effect would be huge.
I can understand those wanting the QEO to be home to these teams, but I simply think that it is unworkable. There are too many suckling at it's teets so to speak and it's struggling accordingly. I cannot see, from a surface point of view how that could change. That's the reality.
The huge and obvious problem with a new ground is funding. But it's worth a shot. Something needs to be done because at the moment nothing is happening and no resolutions are being put forward. It's better to think big then do nothing at all, despite the possible difficulties.
The local council, state government, BFL, Bendigo Bombers and Pioneers as well as the local community between them represent some powerful forces if we were to work together. We need to close ranks and resolve this issue IMO.
As I said, we are Bendigo. We deserve better then this.
Thoughts?
A few posters raised recently the issue in the BFL thread in light of The Advertiser's and 3BO's coverage regarding the Bendigo Bombers - QEO debacle.
In my opinion it's simple. We need another ground in Bendigo.
What isn't simple is how we achieve that. But stay with me for a moment.
The QEO has too much traffic on it. I know, state the obvious right? It has two tenants in South Bendigo and Sandhurst who train and play on it as much as possible which, just between these two clubs, gives it almost twice the use as say a Canterbury or Dower Park does. They have been tenants for decades and should not be limited in their use of the ground IMO.
Then we have the Bendigo Bombers and occasionally Bendigo Pioneers wishing to use it. Here lies the problem for me. 3 clubs and the occasional 4th who currently have every right to use the ground is far too much and has as David Joss pointed out, made what was the 'Jewel in the crown of CV sport' into a joke.
Not only this but you have irregular users like the recent Vic u/16, BSSC and BJFL among others who also wish to get on. In a perfect world that should be allowed, but the QEO cannot cope.
We need to realise that a well conditioned, strong QEO venue is vital to our local community in not only bringing events to our city but also in developing our sporting interests and repairing our reputation as a strong, rural centre of sport.
My answer would be to build/develop another ground, strictly for the use of the Bendigo Bombers and Bendigo Pioneers as the regular tenants.
For too long our elite teams have struggled in terms of a home ground. Whether it be the Pioneers having to share with Golden Square on a ground that quite frankly has suffered as well or the Bombers having to play no games in Bendigo which is unacceptable.
We are Bendigo; one of the strongest, largest country communities and the 2nd largest in-land population in this country. We need to do better then this.
The 3BO boys pointed out that a big opportunity was missed in the developments out Epsom way perhaps even Strathfieldsaye. Whatever your opinion is of them, they are spot on.
If we give these clubs not only a ground that they can call their own to train and play on but also the ability to have social rooms and perhaps a gym, how beneficial would that be for them and the rest of our sporting community?
The flow on effect would be huge.
I can understand those wanting the QEO to be home to these teams, but I simply think that it is unworkable. There are too many suckling at it's teets so to speak and it's struggling accordingly. I cannot see, from a surface point of view how that could change. That's the reality.
The huge and obvious problem with a new ground is funding. But it's worth a shot. Something needs to be done because at the moment nothing is happening and no resolutions are being put forward. It's better to think big then do nothing at all, despite the possible difficulties.
The local council, state government, BFL, Bendigo Bombers and Pioneers as well as the local community between them represent some powerful forces if we were to work together. We need to close ranks and resolve this issue IMO.
As I said, we are Bendigo. We deserve better then this.
Thoughts?
