Olympic Park Oval
{{Short description|Australian rules oval in Melbourne}}
{{About|the football ground|the park|Olympic Park, Melbourne}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Use Australian English|date=December 2016}}
{{Infobox venue
| stadium_name = Olympic Park Oval
| fullname =
| image = OlympicParkOval16.12.16.jpg
| image_size = 270px
| location = Olympic Park, Melbourne, Victoria
| coordinates = {{Coord|37|49|29|S|144|58|53|E|display=it}}
| broke_ground =
| opened = 2013
| closed =
| demolished =
| owner = Melbourne & Olympic Parks Trust
| operator = Melbourne & Olympic Parks Trust
| surface = Grass
| construction_cost = $11,300,000 AUD{{cite web|title=New lease of life for Olympic Park|url=http://www.majorprojects.vic.gov.au/new-lease-of-life-for-olympic-park/|website=Major Projects|publisher=Victorian Government|access-date=13 December 2016}}
| architect =
| tenants = Collingwood Football Club
Administration & Training (2013–present)
VFL (2016–present)
AFLW (2017–18)
| former_names = Olympic Park Stadium
|}}
Olympic Park Oval is an Australian rules football ground located on the site of the former Olympic Park Stadium in Olympic Park, Melbourne.{{cite web|title=Olympic Park Oval|url=http://www.austadiums.com/stadiums/stadiums.php?id=388|website=Austadiums|access-date=8 January 2017}} The Oval is primarily utilised as the training ground of the Collingwood Football Club and as a venue for some of the club's Victorian Football League (VFL) matches. It is located alongside the club's other tenanted facility, the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Centre (known commercially as the AIA Vitality Centre{{Cite web |date=2022-09-23 |title=Contact |url=https://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/club/contact |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923062624/https://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/club/contact |archive-date=2022-09-23 |access-date=2022-09-23 |website=Collingwood Football Club}}).
History and usage
As part of a larger redevelopment of the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment precinct, the Olympic Park Stadium was torn down in 2012, two years after the adjacent Melbourne Rectangular Stadium was built for Olympic Park's former tenants.. Olympic Park Oval was created in stadium's former location. The oval opened for use on 11 April 2013.{{cite web|title=Olympic Park|url=https://www.mopt.com.au/about/history/olympic-park/|website=Melbourne Olympic Parks|publisher=Melbourne Olympic Parks Trust|access-date=8 January 2017}}{{cite web|title=New lease of life for Olympic Park|url=http://www.majorprojects.vic.gov.au/new-lease-of-life-for-olympic-park/|website=Major Projects Victoria|publisher=Victorian Government|access-date=8 January 2017}} The federal government and Collingwood Football Club announced in April 2012 the additional construction of indoor community and training facilities on the site.{{cite news|title=New community hub at Olympic Park|url=http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/2012-04-28/new-community-hub-at-olympic-park|access-date=8 January 2017|work=Collingwood Media|publisher=Bigpond|date=28 April 2012}} These were opened in October 2015.{{cite news|last1=Dennehy|first1=Luke|title=Eddie McGuire sentimental as Collingwood Football Club launches new events space The Glasshouse|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/confidential/eddie-mcguire-sentimental-as-collingwood-football-club-launches-new-events-space-the-glasshouse/news-story/b06d28963461ead91ac848d2be8cd5e4?nk=1de4e0b92ac29693825ca412707c486a-1483858353|access-date=8 January 2017|work=Herald Sun|publisher=News Corp|date=29 October 2015}}
Olympic Park Oval plays host to some of {{VFL Col}}'s reserves matches in the Victorian Football League (VFL). In addition, each of the club's four teams (AFL, AFLW, VFL and VFLW) regularly train on the Oval, while administration of the club is conducted in the associated "Glasshouse" building and the connected Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Centre (Holden Centre). It was the primary home ground for {{AFLW|Col}} in the AFL Women's competition during the 2017 and 2018 seasons, before the team shifted home matches to Victoria Park in Abbotsford.{{cite web |last1=Black |first1=Sarah |title=AFLW fixture: Cats kick off new season - AFL.com.au |url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-10-26/aflw-fixture-cats-kick-off-new-season |website=afl.com.au |date=26 October 2018}}
The Oval remains public land and is available for casual use, though the Melbourne Olympic Park Trust restricts use for official training and sporting usage.{{cite web|title=Gosch's Paddock & Olympic Park Oval|url=https://www.mopt.com.au/about/sports-precinct/goschs-paddock/|website=Melbourne Olympic Parks|publisher=Melbourne Olympic Parks Trust|access-date=8 January 2017}}
Design
The oval features a grass playing surface in the standard shape for Australian rules football and Cricket. It boasts a two-lane running track around its exterior.
For viewing purposes the oval features limited concrete terracing and four light towers for evening play.
The associated indoor structure (known as The Glasshouse) is a multi-use community and events space. The building includes a gym, cafe, theatre and office space and is internally connected to the older Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Centre.
External links
- [http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au Official website of the Collingwood Football Club]
- {{Austadiums|388}}
References
{{Commons category}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Collingwood Football Club}}
{{AFL grounds}}
{{AFL Women's grounds}}
Category:Sports venues in Melbourne
Category:Victorian Football League grounds
Category:Buildings and structures in the City of Melbourne (LGA)
Category:Sport in the City of Melbourne (LGA)
Category:Sports venues completed in 2013