VFL Park Waverly And You.

When we first joined our current church, it was in the throes of Change due to a decline in attendees. So much so, that soon after we joined, it was evident that they/we could not afford to maintain the property properly, and so the painful decision was made to sell the property and move onto a rented Hall for the time being. Although that was very painful and upset a few people among us, the Property was sold to another Church group, and we, as a congregation were able to move on and are now into our second year there in the Hall, and doing fine, although I ‘m sure we could always find a seat for you if you wish to join us anytime.

What happened to our Church is neither new nor unique. It happens in all forms of Life too.

I was reminded of this as I pondered on the changes in Australian Rules Football here in its home base of Melbourne during my lifetime. They are currently celebrating the 150^th Anniversary of the first Game of ”Aussie Rules” football in the world being played here.

Despite what some unkind people imply, I was not around then but only since the 1950’s and only really getting into “Footy” in the mid 60’s. At that time one Kenneth G Luke and others of like mind were in charge of the then Victorian Football League (whose 12 Teams all were within Melbourne or surrounds, with the furtherest being 40 odd Miles away).

It was KG’s dream for the VFL have to have their own Ground and base in Melbourne and so land was bought at Waverly and finally VFL Park was built and opened. At that time, although the name indicated it was the Victorian Football league, the real focus was on Melbourne as the Mecca of the Game. With the passing of KG and his generation, a new generation arose who had their focus on spreading the game from a local to National Game and so soon there was a move to move existing Clubs interstate and finally to create new clubs there, so that there are now 16 clubs, (2 more in the pipe-line) with at least one Club in 4 States other than Victoria. Thus the name was changed to the Australian Football League (AFL) to cover this change from Victorian Football to Australian Football.

Somewhere along this process, to the great disgust and dismay of many, the decision was made to abandon the VFL Park Ground at Waverly and sell it off. The Ground and sporting Facilities themselves still remain and are enjoyed by the surrounding Community, but much of the remaining property was sold off for Housing Development. So the Ground itself remains, but the purpose has changed.

A bit like with our old Church property and us. The old premises that we could not maintain, were sold to another Church who could, and is now being maintained as it should; and we, as a congregation, are still continuing but in a different place and way.

What about you? Have you long held dreams that finally came to fruition, only now to find that the time has again come to let go and move on again? Not necessarily to let all that has happened be destroyed and go to waste, but to allow it to blossom and bloom under others but perhaps in a different way to what you first imagined. Are you stuck in the past, or prepared to build on the work of others who came before you but to perhaps take it into a slightly different direction to that first envisaged, like how KG Luke and Co’s, view for VFL Park differed from those who followed? Over to you for comment!