Leave the Grand Prix alone

 

It’s about this time of year where taxpayers and local residents complain, motorheads rejoice, and Albert Park is closed for a couple of days. Personally, I welcome the Grand Prix to Melbourne. For a week it launches Melbourne onto the international stage, something I, and all Melbournians should feel proud about. But sadly, I fear for the event’s safety. I understand many residents see it as a week of inconvenience, or a waste of money. Yet I see that view as rather selfish. To complain about an event that many others enjoy, just because they don’t like it, is quite egotistical. Just because I don’t enjoy fashion week in Melbourne for one reason or another, doesn’t mean that I’m going to protest and complain about its existence. In life, people need to be tolerant of others. If they do not like the race, they should be tolerant to those of us who do. Often, these people need to look at the bigger picture; the boost to the local economy, the tourism, and how the race is simply too big of an asset for the Victorian Government to give away.

Melbourne’s Grand Prix’s future is uncertain, so I thought I’d create the following infographic, not because it supports my argument, but rather pays tribute to the great race itself, because it may not be here for much longer.

Click here for the high resolution image.

About Jake "Cobba" Stevens

Cobba Stevens works in sports social media and content. A keen middle-distance runner in both the ammos and the pros, he's also one of the youngest 'old bloods' supporters in Melbourne.

Comments

  1. Ian Syson says

    Jake. You are on the money. All views should be tolerated, including the ones you disagree with.

    I think you’ll find that those against the gp have slightly more sophisticated arguments than the ones you attribute to them.

  2. Haha absolutely Ian. I know the event has seems to have a lot more cons than pros, but I’m glad you understood the point of this arguement; tolerance.

  3. I think you’ll find the disruption to residents and resident sporting clubs lasts longer than just a week Cobba. Try several months.

    I used to be involved with running a community sporting competition that involved a couple thousand people each week and by the end of the season the fields resembled the Moon. Each season the fields would be handed back progressively worse to the point where the financial viability of the competition and in turn the sport was under threat. Several other sporting clubs just packed up their kits and went elsewhere.

    As for the residents being selfish, well, a good portion were living there before the GP was plonked on their doorstep in a public park. And no, the GP didn’t do that much to refurbish the park, some pavillions were rat infested and dilapidated even up to 5 years ago, last I knew.

    I can tolerate many things, but not the GP, Bernie Eccle$tone and all they stand for.

  4. Stephanie Holt says

    Happy to hear some arguments for it. But as for those against – it’s definitely more than a few days disruption for locals. Our daughter spent 11 years at schools at either end of the park. Weeks of disruption, and the schools rely on the park for outdoor space.

  5. Tiff O'Rourke says

    There are 114,000 residents within 3km of Albert Park. It is outrageous they are subjected to the level of noise and disruption the grand prix generates. I live in North Melbourne and as I type this I can hear the noise from here!
    As for Albert Park being closed for “a couple of days”, really? A couple of days? It’s been closed for well over a week now.

    Comparing the gp to fashion week is a very very long stretch.

    I for one will be contacting Louise Asher to insist my tax payer dollar not support this event.

    Where is it you live so we can have those 114,000 residents come round and generate the same level of noise for days outside your house and then we’ll see who’s being selfish.

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