Australian Rugby Development Centre

[Rugbynutter39]

Just because it's government funded doesn't mean it's a smart use of funds, many other sporting clubs are buildings High Performance Centre equivalents which provide a better return for the teams and game.



This building is in the premium market for design and materials used, i don't see it as making effective use of the funds granted. Could have received better value for money building somewhere where space wasn't at a premium and secured training fields to go along with the facilities.



Ironically as the ARU seek to move the 7s program from Narabeen to Moore Park, the Waratahs are looking at moving from Moore Park to Narabeen.

Nah I think the high performance centre or centre of excellence....whatever...makes sense with government funding etc...and for what positioned to do....unfortunately in the current hard times we can focus on critiquing things like this but it actually for reasons previously given on this forum makes sense..

 

[Sauron]

For those who are interested in the future of TG Milner, I heard from a player the other day that the top oval is being sold off, but the Woods aren't going anywhere.

I still think it's a real missed opportunity for the ARU.

 

[cyclopath]

Nah I think the high performance centre or centre of excellence..whatever.makes sense with government funding etc.and for what positioned to do..unfortunately in the current hard times we can focus on critiquing things like this but it actually for reasons previously given on this forum makes sense..

If it is a proper high performance centre, with some offices for admin as well, then fine. Having the ARU there probably makes more sense than St Leonards.
If it is a half-arsed gym complex, with a lot more admin space, then it's not a great use of resources.
I'd love to know the full story as to how the funds were allocated (conditions-wise) before passing judgement.

 

[I like to watch]

If it is a proper high performance centre, with some offices for admin as well, then fine. Having the ARU there probably makes more sense than St Leonards.
If it is a half-arsed gym complex, with a lot more admin space, then it's not a great use of resources.
I'd love to know the full story as to how the funds were allocated (conditions-wise) before passing judgement.

http://www.rugby.com.au/news/2016/05/11/07/07/new-aru-facility-to-centralise-teams

Obviously the Gov attached few conditions to their grant.

If the judgement is based on whether it's more HPC than corporate HQ, then it's a fail.There are 5 levels & I doubt the HPC centre takes up one level.

But without knowing particulars, one would assume they'll be saving a pretty penny on HO rent.
But without a HPC of a standard that all the other codes have.

 

[TOCC]

Didn't say it was.
But does anyone know the process of the funds being allocated? I don't. If the money was offered as cash, then spent on this, clearly it's absurd. If the Federal and NSW governments said "we're building a centre for admin / training / etc.... at Moore Park, blah blah blah - do you want in?" then it's a different issue - i.e. maybe the funds were very conditional.
Does anyone know the full story?

it wasn't allocated for just Moore Park, the funding was initially allocated by both state and federal governments for construction at TG Milner... it's what happens afterwards behind closed doors which has seen this transfer to Moore Park.

 

[TOCC]

Nah I think the high performance centre or centre of excellence..whatever.makes sense with government funding etc.and for what positioned to do..unfortunately in the current hard times we can focus on critiquing things like this but it actually for reasons previously given on this forum makes sense..

Based on what? What logical reason is there?
That's bullshit to suggest we cant critique, this was money granted for the development of a high performance centre, and now we have a glorified office block with an indoor gym. Why build this at Moore Park where building costs are going to be greater, where space is at a premium so they would have to go taller. Shit, out of all this, they don't even have their own sporting field to run community programs on.

See below for what $20million can give a sporting team, all of which feature office space as well:

I've voiced my issues with this project previously, overall i think its a poor outcome and appears to be weighted towards providing office space for ARU HQ with the training and 'HPU' component been a secondary consideration.

Spending $20million on a 'HPU' facility which doesn't include any outdoor training space, no rehab or plunge pools and no altitude training rooms, all things which pretty standard in HPU facilities across other codes, they've talked about this indoor training space and the 'rooftop running track' as the two major selling points. The training space doesn't look anything special based off those renders and the rooftop running track is nothing more then a strength of fake grass beside the rooftop BBQ.

Conversely, a few other projects developed around the same time:

Penrith Panthers, $20million:
-2 full-size all-weather training fields
-2 gymnasiums
-hot and cold plunge pools
-61-seat team conference auditorium
-medical rooms
-recreational rooms


Brisbane Broncos $27million:
-1 full-size all-weather training field
-900m2 gym
-altitude training rooom
-altitude sleep room
-2 plunge pools and sauna
-25m lap pool
-players lounge

Gold Coast Suns $22million
-25m lap pool
-medical facilities
-gym
-hydrotherapy pools
-theatre
-lecture rooms
-synthetic training area
-1 AFL training oval

Melbourne City FC $15million
-$2million hybrid turf training pitch
-physios
-hydrotheraphy pools
-gymnasium

 

[cyclopath]

In that context, it looks pretty ordinary for sure.

 

[dru]

In that context, it looks pretty ordinary for sure.

That it does.

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

For those who are interested in the future of TG Milner, I heard from a player the other day that the top oval is being sold off, but the Woods aren't going anywhere.

I still think it's a real missed opportunity for the ARU.

Part of the sale deal is a lease back arrangement for a substantial number of years.

 

[TOCC]

My understanding is that the Federal Givernment made funds available for each of the codes to build centres of excellence for elite performance.
The ARU has pretty much scammed the process and got them to fund their corporate HQ.

NSW Govt provided seperate funding for the ARU offices under a $1.7million grant, which the ARU have rolled Into the ARDC bringing the total government grants to $21.7million for this project.

And given what other codes have managed to build with similar amounts of money, i think we should all be bloody dissapointed and questioning the ARU's intent behind this building.

What was initially proposed at TG Milner looked fantastic, a real community asset aimed at High Performance, this new ARDC at Moore Park looks like an expensive office block with a decent gym.

 

[Braveheart81]

I think from everything written about it, the ARDC is far from perfect but it also seems that relative to those other ones, the ARU has had to tip in less money.

The Panthers one was supposedly entirely funded by Panthers Group. The GC Suns one $15m by Federal Govt and $7m by AFL and GC Suns. I haven't looked up the others.

I think it is reasonable that the other facilities there that are available for use (and are used by the resident teams are considered).

There is the pool at the SFS/SCG, the all-weather synthetic field at Robertson Road, the indoor cricket centre at the SCG and the various playing fields that they currently use in the vicinity.

I guess time will tell how beneficial it is for Australian Rugby. If it reduces the ARU's rent significantly then it could be good considering the precarious financial state of the game.

Is it much different in concept or purpose to the NRL HQ at the same location?

 

[TOCC]

Well yes it's vastly different.. Rugby League central was always just an office building, ARDC was a high performance centre for the national representative teams(Schoolboys, U20s, 7s and Wallabies) .. reducing the ARUs office rent shouldn't be a primary objective of this building, $20milliom in funding wasn't provided so those useless pricks at the ARU could have a spacious office in a premium locality.

 

[I like to watch]

NSW Govt provided seperate funding for the ARU offices under a $1.7million grant, which the ARU have rolled Into the ARDC bringing the total government grants to $21.7million for this project.

And given what other codes have managed to build with similar amounts of money, i think we should all be bloody dissapointed and questioning the ARU's intent behind this building.

What was initially proposed at TG Milner looked fantastic, a real community asset aimed at High Performance, this new ARDC at Moore Park looks like an expensive office block with a decent gym.

I'm just waiting for the federal government to audit the project,and determine that a jogging track does not constitute a centre of excellence, and demand their money back
Which would pretty much sum up the current administration.

 

[Strewthcobber]

For what it's worth it appears the Federal funding was from the Department of infrastructure and regional development, and was a "Community Development Grant" which seems to have very few strings attached.

The NSW funding was a Stronger Regional Communities Initiative.

These grants seem to have been made to the community development side of the ARU, rather than the elite sport side, so arguably an office full of development officers is what was intended.

Was the gym etc funded by the uni?

Sent from my D5833 using Tapatalk

 

[Lindommer]

For those who are interested in the future of TG Milner (sic), I heard from a player the other day that the top oval is being sold off, but the Woods aren't going anywhere. I still think it's a real missed opportunity for the ARU.

Agree, o one-eyed one. For the moneys lashed out on the Moore Park Taj Mahal the ARU could've bought the top fields at Millner, built a HPC and HO on the current kindergarten site on the northern end of the main field AND ended up with three playing fields for things like, oh, let's say, rugby. All uninterrupted. Ditto for Ballymore.

One presumes Papworth and the Woodies' poohbahs have done their homework, but it'd be interesting to check the correspondence between the club/Vimiera Recreation Grounds and Colonel Millner when he forgave them the debt effectively gifting them the ground.

 

[Sauron]

Agree, o one-eyed one. For the moneys lashed out on the Moore Park Taj Mahal the ARU could've bought the top fields at Millner, built a HPC and HO on the current kindergarten site on the northern end of the main field AND ended up with three playing fields for things like, oh, let's say, rugby. All uninterrupted. Ditto for Ballymore.

One presumes Papworth and the Woodies' poohbahs have done their homework, but it'd be interesting to check the correspondence between the club/Vimiera Recreation Grounds and Colonel Millner when he forgave them the debt effectively gifting them the ground.

Yeah, it's yet another case of what could have been. It's not even that difficult to get to from Mosman- the site has everything they were after.

Anyhow, as Jimmy_Crouch said above, there's a long-term lease for the football club built into the deal, and apparently extensive renovations (perhaps even a re-build) of the clubhouse as well. As long as Wings can stay put, I'm happy. Would be nice to see the stand get re-done as well, but I think I'm getting off-topic here.

 

[wamberal]

One presumes Papworth and the Woodies' poohbahs have done their homework, but it'd be interesting to check the correspondence between the club/Vimiera Recreation Grounds and Colonel Millner when he forgave them the debt effectively gifting them the ground.

It might be interesting, but it really has got nothing at all to do with you, my friend.


I assume that the good Colonel's heirs and successors are more than capable of looking after his and the family's best interests.

 

[TOCC]

Another day, another team extracting more value...

Brisbane Lions are on the move and looking for a new base, so far they've managed to earn pledges of:
-Ipswich City Council: $12million
-AFL: $10million
-Springfield Land Corporaion: $18million and $1 peppercorn rent

So far they have $40million and still seeking a further $10million each from the state and federal government.

Just goes to show how much money is out there from councils and even land developers to attract sporting teams, I wonder how much the ARU really explored this option.

 

[boyo]

It might be interesting, but it really has got nothing at all to do with you, my friend.


I assume that the good Colonel's heirs and successors are more than capable of looking after his and the family's best interests.

Why would you say that to Lindo'? Is he not allowed an opinion as a Rugby supporter because he doesn't have an Eastwood avatar?
Why would you think that he thought that the Millners can't look out for themselves?

 

[wamberal]

Why would you say that to Lindo'? Is he not allowed an opinion as a Rugby supporter because he doesn't have an Eastwood avatar?
Why would you think that he thought that the Millners can't look out for themselves?

He can speak for himself. Anybody who grew up in Eastwood, which I did, and has followed the club through thick and an awful lot of thin for almost 70 years, which I have, will defend it. I have played for it, worked for it, and by golly I will defend it.


I read the post in question as a bit condescending, frankly, and I responded.