Junction Oval upgrade a step closer

The $40 million redevelopment at Junction Oval that will deliver a new first-class venue and state-of-the-art training facilities for Cricket Victoria has moved a step closer with the launch of a community consultation process.

The project, that will see the St Kilda venue previously also utilised as an AFL match and training ground become a ‘cricket-only’ venue, will create an alternate playing ground for Victoria’s elite teams as well as indoor nets, consolidated administration centre and community access.

The development will provide cricket with its first dedicated training and development facility in the state and is being jointly funded by the Victorian Government, Cricket Australia and Cricket Victoria.

Work is scheduled to commence before the end of the year, and it is due for completion prior to the beginning of the 2017-18 season. 

Animated fly through of the new development

In addition to providing a second home ground for the Commonwealth Bank Bushrangers and VicSpirit, the Victorian Cricket and Community Centre benefit to a diverse range of users including women’s cricket, multicultural and indigenous communities, physically and intellectually disabled participants and the general public.

As part of the development, the site’s heritage facilities (including the historic grandstands) will benefit from further investment and new facilities will be incorporated into a village green-style setting to enhance the Oval’s boutique character.

Public access to the site will be maintained during the daytime for walking, jogging and other forms of passive recreation.

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The new centre // CV

At today’s announcement the Centre’s new designs have been released to the local community to gauge feedback before works commence, Cricket Victoria Chief Executive Tony Dodemaide added that the development would also bring Victoria’s high performance facilities up to speed with most of their interstate rivals.

"This new first class cricket ground will help address Victoria’s comparative disadvantage to other states, enabling us to regularly attract and host major cricket events that will not only entertain and inspire cricket lovers but generate strong ongoing economic benefit," he said.

"The vision - and now the design for the Victorian Cricket and Community Centre, is expansive.

"It will see the creation of a home for Victorian cricket, a desperately needed new first-class ground and state of the art training, playing and administration facilities."

Cricket Australia Chief Executive Officer James Sutherland said the development represented a significant step forward for the ongoing growth of cricket in Australia

"Putting these designs forward for community consultation marks an important step forward in this project which create a world-class cricket hub, not only for the State and National players, but for grass roots clubs," he said.

"Community cricket is the lifeblood of our game.

"However, in today’s day and age we need to work harder than ever before to maintain cricket’s health, and it’s for that reason we’re enormously grateful for the support the Victorian Government to Junction Oval, and also unprecedented support to Community Cricket throughout the state."

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Out in the middle // CV

Victoria’s Sports Minister, the Hon. John Eren – whose government last year committed $25 million to help fast-track the development – said the Junction Oval facility would provide a venue befitting the reigning Sheffield Shield champions and most successful domestic women’s team.

"We promised our cricketers a world-class venue they can call their own and we're getting on with it,” he said.

"Our first class champions deserve the best facilities.

"Cricket participation is higher in Victoria than any other state, and we're ensuring we give the game the resources it needs to grow."

The development is being led by Cox Architecture who have designed a number of major Australian sporting infrastructure projects including the Melbourne Cricket Ground’s Northern Stand and the redevelopment of the Adelaide Oval.

Anyone interested in taking part in the consultation on the site or learning more about the Victorian Cricket and Community Centre project can at the website.