FLEMINGTON TO BE

Taranaki Daily News, 22 November 1929, Page 5

FLEMINGTON TO BE

IS IT A FANCIFUL OPiNiON? | MELBOURNE CUP IN NEW ARENA. AUSTRALIAN WRITER’S Few people qualified to give an unprejudiced opinion will deny an assertion that the “improvements” effected in recent years have ruined Flemington as a popular public resort, writes “Whelan," in The Circle. Speaking on tho. subject recently, an ex-chairman of a country racing club, leaving then for home, remarked, “No, I am not going to stay down for the Melbourne Cup. I never go to Flemington now. The place has been spoiled and there is too much walking about to suit me.” There are probably many others similarly affected, while it is a wellknown fact that, apart altogether

' from monetary considerations, scores of racegoers patronise tte Hill reserve , in preference to the grandstand reserve. ’ Definitely Flemington has been robbed of its spirit and has lost its popularity. , It is a place of magnificent distances. There is no comfort, no attractiveness, , no beauty of contour. It does not, as laid out, please the general public. It leaves members of the V.R.C. disgruntled, mutinous. They want the judge’s box brought closer to the members’ stand that they may gain a rough idea of the positions of horses passing the post. And the committee knows that if it shifts the judge’s box to please members there will be an uproar from the general public, particularly from Hill patrons. Though those responsible acted with made a botch of the task they underthe best of intentions, they have took when they set’ out to effect extensive improvement. What, in the name of goodness, are they going to do about it? We hear nothing now about famous Flemington. The talk of racegoers from other States, when it veers round to racecourses, is in admiration to the Caulfield racecourse, or about the progressiveness and success of the Moonee Valley Racing Club. The call is for action. If the V.R.C. committee is satisfied, its members are not, and the public is not. The I demand is for some effort to restore to Flemington its prefix and to make it, as the course -of the State’s leading club should be, pre-eminent. HOW CAN IT BE DONE? Hopelessly the question is asked, “How can it be done?” In the belief that the authorities will welcome suggestions, I say that it can be done by the adoption of a bold, progressive policy. Who does not remember the “What’s : a million?” query of that big man, the : late Sir John Forrest. Men with a breadth of vision approximating to that are needed if Flemington is to be made i what it should and could be made—one of the world’s greatest show places. i Now for it If I were a Mussolini i of the turf I would decide to re-plan Flemington by taking over the por- 1 tion known as’ the hill and making the ■whole of that area part of the grandstand reserve. To compensate Hill patrons for their very serious loss—for the Hill is, beyond question, the best place at Flemington from which to view a race—l would give them the magnificent concrete grandstand from which members and those who care to pay an extra fee for the privilege now 1 view the racing. In other words I would have a Leger reserve instead of a Hill 1 reserve. That, I think, clearly shows the basis of my scheme for improving Flemington and of restoring to it the right to be called the finest racecourse in the world. r

There must, however, go with any such scheme, a tremendous amount of detail work. There would be innumerable objections to answer —an enormous prejudice to live down. Having decided that the Hill is to go and that the concrete grandstand is to be given over to Hill patrons, I should offer a prize or prizes amounting to say 5000 guineas for the best design of a new lay-out of the surroundings of the course, with the right to use, at a given figure, any idea in any design finally adopted. The conduct of the competition, the publication of designs in the pictorial journals, and the frequent references to the change to coine would have the effect of impressing on Hill patrons the necessity for the alteration. They would become resigned to the idea, and would, in common with the people of Victoria, be proud to think that Flemington was to be so magnificent. A NEW FLEMINGTON. Can you visualise it? In my imagination I can see a new and glorious Flemington. The top of the Hill, now - the chief part of the Paddock, is reached ' by constantly moving escalators. These moving staircases are capable of moving many thousands of people from the , lawm below to the beautiful gardens , behind the stands in a few minutes, j ' Esculatore are at both ends of the Hill, and they are utilised too to take people

to their places on the tiered stands. There are winding paths, leading to attractively and quaintly z designed stands. Clumps of palms and refrshing spray fountains, topped by a lino of handsome stands. The central stand, on a pinnacle, is patterned like a great castle and dominates the scenery for miles round. It is, of course, the members’ stand, and from it a perfect view of the racing and of the finishes is gained. The birdcage is restored to the western end of the course, and takes in portion of what used to be the paddock betting ring, and was referred to as Under the Elms. The spirit of Flemington, is, as I see the place in my imagination, completely restored. There - are numerous other details to be considered. The possibility of utilising the land at the foot of Footscray Park as a motor park, with perhaps three bridges across the river to permit of an even flow of traffic, would have to be considered. The provision of an area for parking aeroplanes might be necessary,- but these things could be left to the designers. Let it once be- decided that the Hill and the concrete stand are to change places and the rest will come. It is going to be an expensive job, but in the end a good job. Years would pass after the alteration had been decided upon before tho work could be put in hand. The cost would therefore be spread over a great number of" years. ' ‘

With the return to health of Mr. L. K. S. Mackinnon, chairman of the V.R.C., we can, I think, look forward with confidence to an early annc ncement that something bold and enterprising will b® done to restore Flemington’s lost preeminence. ' '