North Port Oval redevelopment goes to tender
PORT MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB MEDIA RELEASE.
The proposed redevelopment of North Port Oval has taken its biggest step yet to becoming a reality with tenders for work on the Norm Goss stand and development of new facilities closing on August 10.
The most exciting part of the project will be the new administration and social facility which will be built adjacent to the scoreboard, with the entry to be from Ingles Street.
The building will provide offices for the Port Melbourne Football Club, replacing the old garage that is used by its General Manager (Barry Kidd) and the portable that houses senior coach, Gary Ayres.
The social facility will seat 230 in banquet mode and feature a large commercial kitchen, bar and two meeting rooms and is sure to be a great space for both club and community functions. Additionally, the works will see two dressing rooms provided for Port Melbourne in the Norman Goss Stand and two in the visitor’s rooms. The visitor’s rooms are to be extended to provide massage and medical rooms.
While the senior and development teams will share showers, the development league teams will be able to move off the oval at the end of games rather than sitting around in the cold weather.
When finals games are played at North Port Oval (where up to four clubs could be playing), each club will now be allocated a specific dressing room.
New umpires facilities will also be provided in the neighbouring SES building with provision for female umpires. When women are not umpiring games, the second area will be able to be used in a similar fashion to the player’s dressing rooms with the development league umpires having their own space.
The club is also currently developing plans for the construction of a low cost building that can house a gymnasium. It’s proposed that the gymnasium would be open for use by both the club’s players and the local community. With the Victorian Government and City of Port Phillip proposals for urban renewal in Fishermans Bend and Montague, it’s expected the demand for facilities like gymnasiums will only increase.
Port Melbourne Football Club president Peter Bromley welcomed the tendering of the project and the upgrading of facilities.
“The project has been nearly a decade in the making and I’m excited that this much needed
redevelopment project is finally becoming a reality” he said.
“When completed, these facilities will prove to be a great asset to not only our club, but also the communities of Port Melbourne, South Melbourne and the Docklands”.
Recently re-signed Port Melbourne Coach, Gary Ayres says bringing North Port Oval and its surrounds into the 21st century will continue to assist the Boroughs in putting a competitive side on the park.
“The boys have been tremendous so far, considering they prepare in facilities that really do belong in the last century” said Ayres.
“Our rivals in Sandringham, Williamstown and Box Hill are already benefiting from their respective ground upgrades and we need this redevelopment to not only keep our team fighting fit, but also attract new recruits to the club”.
Work on the redevelopment should commence in October 2012 and be completed in time for the 2013 season.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Barry Kidd – PMFC General Manager
Phone: 03 9646 2094
Mobile: 0407 964 620
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Comments
A couple of interesting things to come out of this statement. Firstly it will be good to see a Gym open to the public that is based at the ground. We want to have a greater link to the community, and this is a good start.
The club is also obviously looking to leverage some of the residential redevelopment of Fishermans bed, which will situate the Ground slap bang between Port Melbourne and the new development on the Bend and into Docklands. It's going to be a massive population boom and the Borough should be doing everything in its power to get these people to the ground.
Secondly the inclusion of the SES Buildings to be part of the Football ground. It's a large area that is barely used. It opens up all sorts of possibilities for the future.
Thirdly.. ready in time for Season 2013??? If true that is fantastic news.
Next step - Night lighting.
It would be great to think the builders could finish everything in less than 6 months but I think you will find it will be closer to the end of the 2013 season.
All grounds need facilities to allow DL or other teams immediate access to rooms after their match, so it is really great that the revamp will include this amenity.
A co-acting scoreboard on the Norm Goss stand side would be a benefit.
Just an update for those of you that have not been to the ground lately.
The famous time clock has been moved. Not far, but far enough for the new cricket wickets on the hill to be built.
The concrete slab is down and hopefully will be finished during the cricket season.
Things are starting to happen!
September "Transit Australia" magazine has an article on Fishermans Bend Growth Area. Stage 1 is Montague area. Stage 4 is shown on the map as including North Port Oval. The map also has "Investigation of a new light rail link down Williamstown and Todd Roads".
A tram line right past North Port Oval could be in its favour when the ground is upgraded. Where the trams would enter the CBD is not mentioned. But, would a tram service outside the footy ground, with street running, be quicker than the existing service to North Port station??
There is a large Tram Depot just near Montague Street that the trams could run from quite easily.
I always thought that the width of Williamstown road being so large that the original plan was to take Trams.