Pre-Grand Prix Upgrade Plans
The Draft Strategy Plan for Albert Park (December 1993), which pre-dated the announcement of the Grand Prix, contained specific proposals for the upgrade of sporting facilities including a golf driving range, new indoor sports facilities and upgraded field sports precinct. Plans for the sports precinct were to be completed “in consultation with the clubs”. The upgrade was to be over a 20 year period. The Grand Prix-dependent Master Plan presented a radical upheaval for sporting clubs. Parks Victoria promoted this , with the support of the spokesman of the Albert Park Sports Users’ Group, as an opportunity get the capital grants to expedite the 20 year upgrade into “two to three years of vast improvement” (GP News, Issue 2, Nov. 1994). 

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Permanent Loss of Sports Area
The Grand Prix track was built through the centre of the sports precinct, requiring a major re-organisation of the grounds and location of pavilions, and resulting in a reduced area for field sports and a smaller number of fields (including loss of historic Harry Trott oval). A Parks Victoria paper has acknowledged that “The reduction in sports fields from approximately 37 pre-Park upgrade to 24 post Park upgrade (a loss of roughly 9Ha over the period) has made it extremely difficult to accommodate the needs of all past amateur sports users.”. Damage resulting from the Grand Prix has caused the loss of two other fields for the winter (field 7 and oval 21).     

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Rushed Construction Works Resulted in Inferior Grounds
A report on the Grand Prix prepared for the City of Port Phillip Community Forum reported that the general consensus among sports club representatives interviewed was that rushed reinstatement of the grounds and desire to save money has resulted in various short and long term problems such as resurfacing of rubbish on contaminated land, drainage problems on the ovals, intra club (sic) squabbling regarding ground allocations and pavilion shortages, parking problems, loss of revenue and decline in membership.  Turf consultants attributed the poor state of grounds to the decision to cut costs by recycling existing soil from Albert Park and not including sub-surface drainage. (Max Agnew, “Albert Park: a ‘turf disaster’”, Turf International, No. 48, May/June 1996).  Complaints from clubs about the state of the new grounds arising from poor planning, compaction, lack of suitable topsoil, and poor drainage continued throughout 1996. In July 1996 the state of Oval 11 was described “of such nature that our Club would be open to legal action by any one injured as a result of the condition and state of repair of the ground.” (letter of 21/7/96 from South Districts obtained under FOI). Facing legal action from the parents of an injured junior, the club observed “We have received further advice that this ground was not properly prepared in construction and the inadequate construction is the basis of the problem.” 

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Annual Loss of Sports Grounds 
Promises that “the level of disruption will be kept to a minimum.” (GP News, Issue 2, Nov.1994) or that “there would be some inconvenience for other sporting clubs” (Floyd reported in Herald Sun, 19/3/94) have proved wide of the mark.   Clubs have lost use of their home grounds from late January until at least May because of the Grand Prix. In 1996 the AGPC took 6 weeks to remove the race structures and a further 8 weeks to do the preliminary rehabilitation work. The sports fields around Pit Straight suffered badly from both the hasty surfacing with debris-filled topsoil and the long period covered in Grand Prix infrastructure (see Post-Race Report, 30/6/96). Major restoration works did not begin until mid-May, and sports fields were not officially reusable until 15/6/96. Field 19 (soccer) and Oval 21 (used as run-off) were too seriously damaged to be used for winter sport. 12 of the 20 clubs were affected by the Grand Prix and a rehabilitation period of 10-12 weeks and longer was needed (Emerald Hill Times, 12/2/97).   In 1997 nine sports clubs were affected by Grand Prix damage to grounds (EHT, 19/3/97). 16 of the 21 ovals were not ready by their scheduled dates in April (EHT 23/4/97), and soccer, football and rugby clubs had to reschedule training and home ground fixtures. The majority of fields were not observed in use until mid to late May, and until June in three cases. A fourth, oval 21, was again unusable for the football season. 

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Clubs and Teams Forced Out 
Of the 32 field sporting clubs who used Albert Park in 1994, only 22 now remain. After promises that the Grand Prix-dependent upgrade would not lead to the loss of any clubs, clubs and teams are already beginning to disappear as the effects of the annual disruption to home grounds is felt.. At least 10 teams and 4 clubs have left the Park since 1996. Major casualties of the shortage of grounds and facilities have been junior and women’s sport (cricket and soccer).

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The Pit Buildings Provide Only Limited Indoor Sports Facilities 
"the architects and engineers have devised a response that converts buildings made for other sports into temporary Formula 1 facilities.” and the dimensions of the “sport halls” are determined by the needs of sporting clubs. In particular, their height is governed by games like basketball and especially netball.” (Newsletter of the AGPC, vol. 1 no. 1, May 1995). These claims were premised on plans to install a “temporary intermediate floor” at Grand Prix time. The plywood floor in theory can be unscrewed and the steel beams and support columns unbolted and stored (The Age, 2/3/97). Removal of the temporary second storey floor proved impractical, however. It would take an additional month; moreover, the concrete flooring of the garages proved a problem and was unsuitable for netball which needs a floor with some spring. The pit buildings have proved usable only for a limited number of sports (netball and soccer) based on inhouse team competitions. The enforced 8 week break in February-March (Grand Prix assumes control) is out of step with the seasons of local netball associations. Indoor cricket competition closed down when the old Albert Park Indoor Sports Centre ceased to operate. Plans for indoor cricket training in Building Two and for a cricket academy comprising 6 practice nets and coaching have not materialised.   Proposals that Building One would serve as meeting rooms for clubs did not work. It is now permanently leased by Melbourne Entertaining which advertises the facility as “Ideal for Conferences, Seminars, Staff Training, Cocktail Parties, Dinners, Theme Events” (The Age, 24/5/97). It also uses other ground floor garages for its functions.

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The Future of Grass Roots Sport in Albert Park

“Albert Park is the most significant amateur sport venue in Victoria and it’s our job to maintain that” (Jeff Floyd, Emerald Hill Times, 9/11/04) 
“No sporting clubs would be displaced from the park” (The Age, 14/5/94)

Assurance from representatives of the AGPC prior to the first Grand Prix that the grass should recover in a week has proved to be worthless. Clubs now face an annual loss of one football oval each year (oval 21) and the loss of most others for at least two months after each race. Clubs are left with very limited training facilities within the park and many are forced to train elsewhere. Loss of home grounds for training and home matches is a threat to the viability of clubs. Loss of grounds affects membership, ability to raise revenues from the social club, and maintenance of competitiveness. If ground are not restored on time, clubs risk penalties for failing to provide ground as scheduled. While clubs appeared to benefit from the rapid upgrade, they were in a poor bargaining position with competition for limited grounds and pavilions. Now that leases are signed, clubs are left with 21 year leases on pavilions, but a maximum of 3 years on ovals, and thus vulnerable to the loss of home grounds. In addition, the Albert Park public golf course is closed completely for six weeks, the Golf Driving Range for a week, and the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre is closed to the public for the race week. The Grand Prix is incompatible with the role of Albert Park as an all-year sport and recreation facility for Melbourne. In 1993 Jeff Floyd enunciated in the foreword to the Draft Strategy Plan that “The challenge for the Strategy Plan is to provide for a variety of recreational experiences including sport, leisure and open space enjoyment with destroying the fundamental nature of the Park, built up over many years”.   The Grand Prix is a threat to amateur and community sport in Albert Park and wastes valuable recreational facilities paid for by Melburnians out of taxes and the Parks charge.