gymnasium, coaches' offices and players' lounge being destroyed by fire in the early hours of 22 July, the morning after the Kangaroos suffered a 72-point loss to the Adelaide Crows at AAMI Stadium. Links between the attack, the team's loss and speculation surrounding its future were quickly dismissed. Ground Improvements First Grand Stand The first grandstand was built in 1906 on the Fogarty Street side of the ground, at a reputed cost of £850. Remnants of this stand, the concrete players’ race and the base of one of the external staircases, remain in the terraced area. The players’ race still connects the players’ dressing rooms in the Football Club administration building with the oval. In 1909, plans for a new grandstand, to cost £1,000, were drawn up by local councillor and club founder J H Gardiner. Despite the popularity of the club, it was deemed that too few finals games were scheduled for the ground to warrant the construction of another stand. 1928 Grand Stand North's move to the VFL in 1925 prompted significant upgrading of the club's facilities. Almost symbolic of the club's new status as a member of the VFL was the construction of the brick grandstand in 1928, with seating for 2,000 spectators. Located to the south-east of the existing 1906 stand, it was built on the site of the small timber pavilion, which was demolished, and another even smaller structure to the south-east which was apparently re-located elsewhere. The designer was H E Morton and the builder was J E Morison. The foundation stone reads as follows: NORTH MELBOURNE RECREATION RESERVE THIS TABLET WAS UNVEILED BY THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE LORD MAYOR OF MELBOURNE ALDERMAN SIR STEPHEN MORELL ON SATURDAY 24TH MARCH 1928 COMMITTEE 1927-28 COUNCILLOR DR KENT HUGHES, CHAIRMAN L. W. ABLEY REV. D. DALEY A. J. HARFORD J. T. EDMONDS C. W. LETTEY J. P. T. MORAN G. P. RUSSELL W. J. WOODBRIDGE R. ROUTLEY, J. C. CONNOLEY, SECRETARY TREASURER H. E. MORTON, J. C. MORISON, ENGINEER BUILDER The main grandstand seated prominent members and administrators of the football club up until the club stopped playing games there in 1984. From then on, it fell into disrepair and was eventually closed off to the public in 1991. It housed the club gym for a few years before bird droppings inside the roof began to present a safety hazard. The grandstand was eventually demolished in