WE’VE all seen and probably walked across --- if not played on --- the revamped QEO.
And many of us have marveled at the efficiency of the new electronic scoreboard.
But it was a much different scenario back in the winter of 2003 with the then Bendigo Bombers’ coach Peter Banfield outspoken in his criticism of the City of Greater Bendigo.
Leaving aside the planned $650,000 council input for the surface upgrade of central Victoria’s showpiece arena, Banfield unleashed scathing criticism of the condition of the grandstand and the change rooms below the stand.
He told the Advertiser the QEO was “tired and in urgent need of an upgrade.”
“But this council won’t lock in dates for the works. Just tell us when our multi-purpose facility is going to be built,” he added.
“This is meant to be the home of football in Bendigo, but look at it ..... we’re playing in almost a national competition (the VFL) and I don’t believe the QEO presents as a great promotion for Bendigo,” the coach said.
It’s 12 years ago now, but when the Bombers’ mentor was speaking there was graffiti splashed across the coaches’ box, damage to the guard rails on the grandstand staircases while paint was wearing off the brickwork.
Banfield’s harshest criticism was leveled at the state of the change rooms and the bathroom.
“The condition of those facilities is the prime reason why we’ve used the Aquatic Centre rooms for games played at the QEO.
“The showers have broken tiles, there’s mould on the roof, plaster’s coming off the walls and just look at the state of the carpet in the change rooms,” thundered Banfield.
However, then City of Greater Bendigo councillor and sports identity Alan Besley said he was disappointed in Banfield’s attitude towards the City Council regarding the QEO.
“Clearly Peter Banfield hasn’t spoken to council about any of the [planned] developments at the QEO.
“So I have no idea why he has all of a sudden become the spokesman for sport in Bendigo,” said Cr. Besley.
EARLIER that winter 12 seasons back the council had decided to go ahead with their $650,000 contribution to the surface upgrade of the famous ground.
The project had been firmly placed on the council’s capital works programme.
The works were large scale and included the installation of upgraded drainage and watering systems along with the laying of $250,000 worth of new turf.
Originally the re-development had been earmarked to take place as soon as the 2002 season had ended.
However, they’d been postponed for 12 months because of the introduction of Stage 1 water restrictions in October 2002 during the ongoing drought which was plaguing almost the entire state of Victoria at the time.
Council Parks and Gardens spokesmen told the Advertiser “huge amounts of water” would be required on a daily basis to bed down the new QEO turf.
And Greater Bendigo infrastructure director David Beard added his comments, also.
“Council will revisit its position about the QEO surface re-development within the next month.
“It will form part of Council’s budget deliberations,” he said.
Remember, all this was happening in July, 2003.
Mr. Beard emphasized that the project start date was largely dependent on the availability of water.
“Water restrictions and their effects would again be a major factor in council”s decision,” he said.
Stage 3 restrictions were in place in July-August 2003, imposed by Coliban Water, and these conditions prevented the watering of all non-essential playing surfaces for sports arenas.
Coliban Water had warned Bendigo and surrounding area residents that Stage 4 restrictions could be in place by as early as September, 2003.
But Mr. Beard foreshadowed an option which was to be very valuable in the whole QEO scenario.
“The council now has the option of damming the Bendigo Creek to give us an alternate water source.
“The infrastructure is there to do that now. We can bring water down and store, even though that in itself presents a few problems.’
MEANWHILE by the end of July that year the funding for the new electronic scoreboard had been guaranteed.
Council had provided $50,000 for the new scoreboard in its 2003-04 draft Budget, unveiled on July 23rd.
The existing scoreboard in the Barnard Street pocket was going to be demolished. That would allow the new $1.3 million multi-purpose facility to be erected on the Aquatic Centre side of the ground, almost exactly where the old black and white manually operated board had stood for decades.
Cr. Besley said the new board would be black with orange or lime-coloured lettering on it.
“So it will be a whole lot different to the present situation and a scoreboard which patrons can read instantly,” he said.
Cr. Besley was in favour of the Aquatic Centre, half-forward flank location, although it’s more accurate to say now it’s actually there it’s in the city end forward pocket on that side of the ground.
Funds for a new netball court to be built adjacent to the Aquatic Centre were also allocated in the 2003-04 council budget.
The new $50,000 netball court was to be built on a parcel of land at the Gaol Road end of the centre.
“It will be built near the new diving board and the whole thing would be done before next year’s (2004) football and netball season,” the councillor said.
BFNL chairman Mark Johnston said any funding for the QEO upgrade was most welcome.
“Certainly the scoreboard was one area which needed attention. And as a league we’ll continue to sit down with the council, and its councillors, and discuss the current funding and future requirements.”
Mr. Johnston said netball formed a vital component of the league.
“The current facility at the QEO is sub-standard. Everybody recognizes that.
“We recognize that the council had been restricted by what it could do in the past, but these new plans allow for the new court to go in and it’s great to see netball getting the recognition it deserves,” he said.
NOW of course there’s two netball courts at the QEO and the footy surface upgrade plus the renovations of the grandstand rooms --- along with the new change rooms on the Aquatic Centre side of the arena --- have all long been completed.
The QEO drainage and surface works went ahead over the summer of 2010—2011, with the initial work starting in late 2010.
First game on the new surface was set down for a clash of the traditional QEO co-tenants South and Sandhurst in mid-2011.
However, Sandhurst postponed its planned 150th anniversary celebrations (1861-2011) from 2011 to June, 2012 so that the new QEO surface would be well and truly bedded down.
The Dragons played their early home fixtures that season four years back out at Huntly. I well remember seeing Hurst committeemen scouring the spectator areas behind the goals and around the scoreboard, collecting refuse from careless and lazy punters.
And I’m fairly sure that not long after one Hurst—Castlemaine fixture at the Huntly ground that year the then Magpie coach Paul Eyles announced he was retiring from coaching.
Anyway, with City of Greater Bendigo Mayor Cr. Rod Fyffe and Member for Northern Victoria Province Damian Drum present the new-look QEO was officially opened on June 11, 2011.
Cr. Fyffe said considering the state had been in the grip of a severe drought for the best part of a decade the $2.2 million upgrade had proceeded extremely well.
The Bloods and Hurst played the re-opening match in good spirit with the BFNL, the Council and local footy supporters ecstatic that the new-look QEO, the sparkling re-located scoreboard (despite some initial teething problems) and the two sets of change rooms were in tip-top condition and appearance.
And at the Hurst 150th dinner and induction of club Hall of Fame members the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen at a regional footy function assembled.
There were 720 people in attendance in June 2012. Outside of a few Brownlow Medal nights at which I’ve been a guest, the Sandhurst gathering was the largest sit-down footy ‘do’ I’ve ever been to.
Greg Champion from ABC radio’s Coodabeen Champions echoed my thoughts to a tee. He mentioned he’d never ever been to a regional or rural footy night where there’d been a bigger crowd.
Richard’s tips for Round 15: Eaglehawk (vs. Gisborne), Strathfieldsaye (vs. Kyneton), Kang. Flat (vs. Sth. Bendigo at QEO), Sandhurst (vs. C’maine at Camp Reserve) and Golden Square (vs. Maryborough).
Total correct for 2015: 57.
By Richard Jones