Stand, Land, water
Words: Groundspotters
Images: Groundspotters
There are those who consider Saturnino Moure stadium to be among the most unique in the world. Without a doubt, it is one of most characteristic fields in Argentina if we keep in mind its location on the Brian Meander of the Riachuelo river.
It is the stadium of Club Atlético Victoriano Arenas (CAVA). Founded in 1928, affiliated to the Argentine Football Association (AFA) since 1963 and currently in Primera C, the fourth division of Argentine football.
In 1942 CAVA built its headquarters in the Valentín Alsina neighborhood of Lanús district. A few years later, in 1947, they bought the land where would locate a stadium on the Riachuelo coast and which belonged to Ferrocarriles Argentinos, a national public company that oversaw the administration of Argentine railway network between 1968 and 1995.
Riachuelo river is the natural limit, to the South, between Buenos Aires city and Buenos Aires province. More than 100 years ago, Riachuelo´s basin had large number of sharp curves that presented problems for commercial vessels that circulated there and flooding when the river rose.
Given this, in 1913, National Congress passed a law that ordered the course of the river to be rectified. These works couldn't be carried out in a small section between Alsina bridge and Pueyrredón bridge due to railway bridges that existed in that area in those years.
This is how territorial accident known as Brian Meander was maintained. Meander is the geographical name given to this type of formation (many confuse it with a peninsula) and Brian due to civil engineer Santiago Brian, whose name was also given to the train station that operated here until 1951.
It’s there, in the Brian Meander, also popularly known as CAVA Island or Gurmendi Island (the name of a nearby factory), in a portion of land of less than 50,000 m2, that Victoriano Arenas has its home.
As if geographical characteristics of the place where stadium is located weren’t enough, we must add the particularity that Victoriano Arenas, a club from Valentín Alsina (Lanús), has its field on land located in Piñeyro (Avellaneda district, who currently manages and maintains this area), but in the original layout of that zone belonged to Buenos Aires city.
A search of the official records of Buenos Aires city, would find this land under “cadastral block 104 of section 26” corresponding to Barracas neighborhood. This is due to the aforementioned project to modify the course of Riachuelo that, in the end, was never carried out or clarified in records.
So this piece of land is a living example of Argentine industrial and railway decline that occurred from 1990s onwards and led to a social outbreak at the beginning of the century.
©Groundspotters/ Terrace Edition. Club Atlético Victoriano Arenas.
Victoriano Arenas brings together the passion of lifelong fans, roots of a neighbourhood club with residents of the new settlements that were established on shores of Riachuelo and an extremely important place for many young people who find a space of belonging in some of the many sports and recreational activities that the club offers.
Saturnino Moure, with an approximate capacity for 1,500 people, is an attraction in itself, regardless of what happens during the 90 minutes.
The smell of barbecues wafts behind the stand and the meander of the river is matched by the wandering runs of attackers on the pitch. If a ball goes into the river it must be rescued by club staff in an Argentine version of Shrewsbury Town’s old Gay Meadow ground which was similarly placed beside the water.
When Argentine football still allowed away fans, everyone entered through the only street which access is possible to the Brian Meander. Another peculiarity that distinguishes this stadium is that there, on April 4 1998, for first time a female referee (Florencia Romano) officiated an official match in Argentine football and, as if this werent enough, it ended with a victory for Victoriano Arenas 6-0 against Muñiz.
The popular CAVA island myth persists that after a game when a dubious late penalty was awarded by the referee, the locals pushed the referee’s car into the river.
Whether its Buenos Aires city, Avellaneda or Lanús, Saturnino Moure stadium pulses with the passion of Victoriano Arenas fans and opens its doors to curious people who cannot miss this jewel of Argentine football where goals are scored to the cheers of fans and the delicate sound of the river lapping.
©Groundspotters/ Terrace Edition. Club Atlético Victoriano Arenas.
©Groundspotters/ Terrace Edition. Club Atlético Victoriano Arenas.
©Groundspotters/ Terrace Edition. Club Atlético Victoriano Arenas.
©Groundspotters/ Terrace Edition. Club Atlético Victoriano Arenas.
©Groundspotters/ Terrace Edition. Club Atlético Victoriano Arenas.
©Groundspotters/ Terrace Edition. Club Atlético Victoriano Arenas.
©Groundspotters/ Terrace Edition. Club Atlético Victoriano Arenas.
©Groundspotters/ Terrace Edition. Club Atlético Victoriano Arenas.
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