Corowa 2009 -'Year of the Amphibian & Year of the Blitz 2'

[alexmacca30]

Nope, not spitting the dummy, just making everyone aware that it's not quite as simple as turning a parade around and going back the other way. I don't think that the council would approve of doing it that way.

Also remember that KVE have to pay for services of appropriately qualified people to man the traffic management. It is not just a case of using the same resources. A different route would be required by council to avoid the main street. It is a matter of everything being approved.

I know what you are suggesting, it's just easier said than done.

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Rusty
Thanks for saying exactly what I thought, in all three of your posts. I am assuming that after the politics of the last year, ALL of KVE will give due consideration to the suggestions that are being asked for. Replies that bounce back so quickly may lead to the idea that this is not the case.
Count me out for an airport swapmeet.
Richard

[Ian Pullen]

Thanks gentlemen for your feedback. I can understand where Alex is coming from with his reply too. The work that he did with the TMP probably could not have been done by anyone else who attends Corowa. So I can attest to his replies.

Personally I believe that negative feedback should be accompanied by possible solutions, not just a complaint for the sake of it.

Having said that maybe an e-mail to Alex, Jan, myself or anyone on the committee detailing your ideas could have been a bit more personal.

I agree the Airport as it stood WAS uncomfortable for families. Of that there is no argument. Remember, we DO NOT usually get 40 degree days in March. Here is the question, was the main complaint the heat. It was for me. I was there too.

If the heat was the problem then the committee really can't do much about that. The shade goes hand in hand with that. We as the committee didn't know it was going to be that big or that hot.

Fact. It was the biggest swap meet that they have had. There were more stall holders than ever before.

Fact. It was the longest swap meet that has been held.

Fact. There were more locals that attended that ever before. Source of that being the local Council and volunteer organisations. Plus discussions with the local papers after the event.

Alex is correct in that it is easier on traffic to start from the normal start point and get the Airport vehicles there early. NOT the other way around. This has a smaller impact on local traffic.

In addition the normal start point may not even exist next year. Council have plans afoot for road works that will change that whole area.

The other thing is resistance to change. If that is a concern, I am afraid the committee can't do any thing about that either. We have to change with council, attending numbers etc etc.

As for the demigraphics as to expecting 200 vehicles. Take into effect the growing annual attendances and the type of vehicles in attendance. Then consider the number of individual types compared to theme year and whether they have attended for some time. For example, there was only one GPA there this year where there is normally an average of 8-10. Blitz numbers were down also compared to past years. As this is the theme vehicle set I would expect a larger number of them next year.

There will be tracked vehicles again as well.

You mentioned keeping it all together at Bangarang Park, guys it would be great as well as a lot simpler if we could do it. The plain truth is with the type and number of vehicles attending we have simply outgrown that one location to do it safely..... Sorry.

Suffice to say, would a marquis placed at the Airfield by rotary to cater for the ladies with tea, coffee, cold drinks etc be acceptable as a compromise. If there are any other suggestions feel free to send me a PM or e-mail, I am more than happy to talk them over.

As for the stall holders at the swapmeet, it was a learning curve for all. I know I will be bringing additional shade next year, I have suggested that they do the same. This is something that ALL stall holders at swapmeets should be able to understand and accept. I know that at Bendigo, not every stall holder gets shade and soft grass underfoot. We are in the middle of a drought, the Airfield is usually a bit greener that that anyway.

If as a committee we are not doing as the members wish, then maybe you could put your name forward at the AGM for a position. I am sure that we wouldnt mind, as I said we are open to ideas.

[Rusty]

Hello Ian the opening statement of this thread from the Secretary included a call for opinions and plans in the media of this forum, it did not state a preferred method of response.

Looking forward to receiving your preregistration forms along with your opinions and plans for Corowa 2009.

I was actually taken back by the dismissive response received from Alex. I had wrongly assumed that in the Secretary asking for opinions that you would collect them and debate merits as a committee not have a single member fire of a response.

I suggest that if you are truly representing the people who support KVE and ask for opinions that you put in place an open method of dealing with suggestions/opinions that you have asked for and avoid the backdoor politics that took a shine of the 2008 preparation.

The forum contains a number of Corowa regulars but the vast number are probably really only accessed by snail mail how about collate the ideas and survey those who attend, you should then get an open and honest result of the majority above scrutiny.

Good luck with setting up 2009, I have presented my opinions and don’t feel that this needs to turn into a big debate to take up everyone’s time.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

I remain impressed with the quality of the discourse on even difficult subjects such as this. All or you are a credit to not only yourselves but us as a group, and I thank you.

I will remind all principle players that when the time is right and the proper question(s) formulated, there is a polling option in this software, and I encourage its use where applicable; while this 'applicability' is ultimately mine to decide, and any given poll remaining just a sampling of opinion, it can be useful nonetheless. The final responsibility rests, of course, with those who take the lion's share of the load in organising the event every year, and I shan't stand in their way.

Keep it coming, ladies & gentlemen... all suggestions and comments will be given due consideration. This is the way it's supposed to work!

[Lang]

My two bob's worth on the airport vs downtown.

I understand there is a possibility of losing the old assembly point with new roadworks but a transfer around the corner into the area where the loading ramp is provides even more area close to the caravan park.

I don't agree the line up is any sort of shambles as alluded to above. Everyone moves across in their own time and the pre-parade atmosphere is like the last day at school before the holidays. It is really the only time you can actually move around talking to every vehicle owner in a tight spot. I believe that half hour before the parade all parked in a loose pack does a great deal for team spirit and a feeling of belonging to something bigger than ourselves.

The move off always happens smoothly and people filter out in a polite order to create the big snake up the main street.

I, like many others, had serious misgivings about splitting the camps between the park and the airport. Having seen it in operation I can now say it is an experiment that worked extremely well. The "them and us" situation never happened. The tracked vehicles could move around a little which could not happen at the park. There was a continuous cross-pollination of vehicles travelling in both directions with functions at both camps attended by large numbers from the other. Everyone streamed out of both camps to join the day runs.

We have just got too big for our original settlement and created a suburb in the larger city.

The swap meet is much more easily accessed and even those opposed to the airport must admit the stalls were jammed on top of each other back in town while there is unlimited space for expansion now. It also avoids the bad blood and wild drive to sprint back from the airport to get the "bargains" which destroys the big display. Was it not wonderful seeing almost every vehicle left on display for hours, not only for us but the townspeople while the owners wandered in a relaxed manner over to the adjoining swap meet?

As far as too hot. I think there are too many Victorians complaining (although Melbourne exceeds those temperatures often during summer). For heaven's sake you live in AUSTRALIA. 40 degrees is not going to melt you and moving 5 kilometres away into town is not going to drop the temperature by one degree. The Canadians survive in freezing temperatures by dressing appropriately. Put on a hat and get on with life in conditions that people in 90% of Australia expect and live with through much of the summer.

Lang

[Lang]

Just a couple more thoughts on Corowa.

The airport base encouraged the attendance of several warbirds (and our morning Spitfire wake-up call). These aircraft would not come just to fly over a camp 5 kilometres away, they came because they were present at a visible event at the airfield. I understand there are several more owners of interesting aircraft looking at coming next year.

Camping at the airport will not become compulsory due to lack of space in the forseeable future. There is plenty of space at Ball Park (even with the semi-trailers there is lots of space for many more attendees). It only becomes more crowded on the last couple of days anyhow and the extra people are not there for a holiday but to have a full-on military vehicle weekend.

People gather for varying periods of up to 10 days. This is more than adequate to cater for the needs and enjoyment of individual families. With many runs and plenty of swimming or shady tree time the wife and kids can be immersed in military vehicles to the limit of their attention span. The 'next generation" training can reach saturation point during the stay.

I think as many kids as possible should come along on the day runs and everyone should enjoy their company at the various museums, historic sights and scenic spots.

Despite family orientation this is first and foremost a military vehicle enthusiasts event. I do not believe the requirements of family members who are not excited about the prospect of a few hours hanging around the trucks (either in or out of the sun) should even be taken into consideration for the short period of the parade and swap meet.

The parade and swap is the serious military vehicle highlight for the hundreds of people - most without children and many without wives - who have spent thousands of dollars and travelled from all over Australia and even overseas. This is their moment in the sunshine, it is the big kids time. If the little kids want to come along for the ride that is great but they should not create extra work, changes to the program and route or any loss of activity for the big kids.

If participants can't keep their wives and kids interested, happy or comfortable or make alternative arrangements to keep them occupied for a couple of hours in a week's festivities it is not up to others to do so.

Lang