Suburban/Country Grounds

Roogal

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It seems that later next week, work will finally start to rebuild Ballarat's Historic City Oval with the tender for it's reconstruction closing last Wednesday:

City of Ballarat is seeking submissions from suitably qualified and experienced individuals and companies to provide oval upgrade/reconstruction at City Oval, Ballarat. The new oval will be approx. 165 metres long (East _ West) and approx. 134 metres wide (approx area of 19,280 square metres). The playing surface is to be reshaped to form an evenly shaped and domed oval with a slope of 1% to the perimeter. The cricket wicket area will be removed. A concrete spoon drain will be installed around the perimeter. A new sub-surface drainage system, a new automatic irrigation system and a new fence will be installed.
This field will be initially grassed using Santa Ana couch sod. Work on site must commence by September 14, 2017 with the expectation that the oval will be ready for local AFL matches by March/April, 2018.

Source: Tenderlink

I hope that this means the removal of that fire training track and the relocation of the oval boundary closer to the main stand and Saxon House.

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Roogal

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The Ballarat Council have much to my surprise raised a tender for the installation of four 200 lux light towers at the City Oval upon the completion of the ground works which are now well advanced. Twelve years ago, local residents had successfully opposed the installation of competition grade light towers citing that they would detract from the local heritage overlay and raised concerns with light polution. Instead the council opted to install four training light towers emitting 50 lux. So I am not sure what has changed, but the redeveloped oval will be approximately 20 metres shorter and approximately 15 metres wider and shifted 15 metres closer toward the grandstand.
 

Roogal

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Wendouree ground set to host BCA decider

Wendouree’s C.E Brown Reserve looms as the front-runner to host this season’s Ballarat Cricket Association first grade grand final. Traditionally held at the Eastern Oval, the four-day clash is almost certain to be forced elsewhere during 2017-18 because of the major upgrade currently underway at that venue.

Works on the historic Eastern Oval have kicked off in recent weeks, with the centre wicket table torn up on Tuesday. The ground revamp is part of a major $2million project planned for the central Ballarat facility that will also include new turf wicket training nets, oval lighting upgrade to Cricket Australia Class II standards and two redeveloped unisex change rooms.

City of Ballarat reports that construction of the turf cricket nets, oval resurfacing and change rooms is expected to be completed by March next year.
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The view of Eastern Oval last Friday. Pictures: Skyline Drone Imaging.

Funding of $1.5 million has been provided from the City of Ballarat and $500,000 from Sport and Recreation Victoria. It is hoped the works will allow the facility to host high-level cricket events in the future. The BCA firsts grand final is scheduled to be played on the weekends of March 17-18 and March 24-25. BCA operations officer Greg Wakeling said as it stands, C.E Brown Reserve was the pick of the association’s venues.

Wakeling said the BCA would want to play at least one regular season fixture on the new wicket table at the Eastern Oval before scheduling finals there, but that didn’t appear likely this season. He said North Ballarat 2 looked likely to host the second grade grand final, which would keep the two top divisions close together. C.E Brown Reserve is also in line to host games during the under-16 boys state championships in December.

Four teams are set to play matches in Ballarat during the carnival, with other fixtures booked for St Patrick’s College and North Ballarat 2. The games have been scheduled for December 18-20. Four rounds have been completed in the first grade competition this season, with teams currently in the midst of two-day round five encounters.

Golden Point and North Ballarat are the two undefeated teams in the A-grade ranks and both are in a good position following Saturday afternoon’s play. Two more two-day fixtures are scheduled before the firsts take a significant break across the Christmas-New Year period. Play will conclude on Saturday, December 16 and resume again on Saturday, January 13.
 

Roogal

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Ballarat's historic City Oval being rebuilt to Etihad Stadium dimensions, new drainage, irrigation, all weather surface and new competition standard lighting by March 2018. It always had the potential as one of the prettiest and grandest ovals in Victoria, but now will offer a very modern playing surface. The Redan Football Club must be beside themselves in anticipation. The crowds will now sit much closer to the action, that horrible fire training track finally removed, and the new ground graced by wonderful elm trees and that elegant old grandstand.

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Silent Alarm

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That is a great looking ground and with a grandstand like that, it deserves a bright green lawn. Well they both are.

Second reminds me a lot of Fremantle Oval, the shape of the stand and it being at that angle and away from the ground. Has a bit of a Brunswick Street feel to the brick at the bottom as well. First one has a Windy Hill thing with the bowls club but the colours and time the photo was taken, the trees, all looks very BSO.
 

Roogal

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Barely recognisable: City Oval undergoes massive transformation

Historic Ballarat City Oval undergoing a complete oval rebuild with new fences, covered players benches, and soon ... new competition professional grade lights. The long hated fire training track is gone and the new oval is wider and shorter.

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Roogal

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City Oval works near end as football season approaches


Rochelle Kirkham

Upgrade works to City Oval are set to be completed in time for the start of the Ballarat football season, according to City of Ballarat.

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New semi-professional standard lighting is planned to be installed at the ground next week. Redan and Lake Wendouree will put the upgrades to the test on May 5 during the first night match on the revamped ground under lights for round three of the BFL fixture.

Home team Redan Football Netball Club players and coaches said they were excited for the first bounce on the new lush green turf. Redan Football Netball Club vice president Tracey Boyce said the upgrade would put the club in a positive position for the future. “We have greater certainty as to what our season looks like,” he said.

The surface upgrade was completed on January 19 while the oval is currently in the grow in and establishment period. The new surface will put us on a level playing field with other clubs in Ballarat who have already been playing and training on redeveloped ovals.

Current work includes external landscaping and finishing works to the outside of the oval. The $1.6 million project, fully funded by the City of Ballarat, will provide higher quality conditions for athletes of all levels and will provide the capacity to cater for increased participation of footballers, both men and women.

Work at City Oval is one of a number of redevelopment projects at football ovals throughout the city.

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Roogal

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New lights were installed at the Ballarat City Oval last week in preparation for the historic ground's first night football game on 5th May. The lights are the same type and capacity as those installed at other redeveloped ovals in Ballarat at Alfredton, Wendouree and Sebastopol ovals between 2015-17. The City Oval has been rebuilt and moved closer to the grandstand and BFL HQ (Saxon House) and had its fire traing track and cricket wickets removed. Most outer viewing areas and the parking bays have been retained. The redeveloped ground will easily be the most picturesque in the city.

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Silent Alarm

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Why didn't they invest in that oval in Ballarat? Has a lot of character with that old grandstand, and circling the modern horseshoe design around it would've made for a more unique looking ground.
 

ROOTA#6

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Why didn't they invest in that oval in Ballarat? Has a lot of character with that old grandstand, and circling the modern horseshoe design around it would've made for a more unique looking ground.

Which one??? They have pretty much done all of them now. If it's Eastern Oval you are talking about its the one getting the biggest upgrade if I remember correctly to bring it up to standard for first class cricket
 
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Why didn't they invest in that oval in Ballarat? Has a lot of character with that old grandstand, and circling the modern horseshoe design around it would've made for a more unique looking ground.
City Oval? Not a great deal of room for development, no scope for parking, no railway nearby, and surrounded by toffs who wont let any major development take place in the area. It is beautiful but not practical.
 

Roogal

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Why didn't they invest in that oval in Ballarat? Has a lot of character with that old grandstand, and circling the modern horseshoe design around it would've made for a more unique looking ground.
Space around the ground was limited as the trees and stands are heritage listed. Also parking around the ground would be limited and there is no train line nearby. But a beautiful ground all the same.

Pretty much as "Cunningplan" said. :)
 

Roogal

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Which one??? They have pretty much done all of them now. If it's Eastern Oval you are talking about its the one getting the biggest upgrade if I remember correctly to bring it up to standard for first class cricket
The Eastern Oval is getting better lights than Mars Stadium later this year and eventually its outer spectator areas will all be upgraded with awnings, a new electronic scoreboard/bar, and new sealed car parking bays are being built as part of a seven year plan.
 
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Time for Melbourne, Geelong (besides Kardinia Park) and Bendigo to follow Ballarat's lead in investing in local footy infrastructure
 
I have to commend Ballarat for what they are doing for local grounds. It would be amazing to see this much done in my local area but being from Melbourne there are far too many local footy clubs and ground sports near me for there to be enough to invest in upgrading them all to this level.
 
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The new pavilion at Ballam Park for the Karingal Football Netball club shortly after completion last month, it also includes a netball court at the back of the pavilion. Unfortunately within 24 hours of opening, f***wits smashed the windows as well as lights and sprayed graffiti on the walls and as of last week when I visited, unaware of the vandalism attack until then, the windows still haven't been replaced
 

Chicken Parma

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How many footy clubs are there in Ballarat?

Of the 11 clubs currently in the BFL, seven of them are in Ballarat (Ballarat, Darley, East Point, Lake Wendouree, North Ballarat, Redan and Sebastopol)*

There might be a few more clubs in a minor league (such as the Central Highlands FL)

And that's before you start adding junior clubs into the mix...

*(This is a guess. Apologies if incorrect.)
 
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Of the 11 clubs currently in the BFL, seven of them are in Ballarat (Ballarat, Darley, East Point, Lake Wendouree, North Ballarat, Redan and Sebastopol)*

There might be a few more clubs in a minor league (such as the Central Highlands FL)

And that's before you start adding junior clubs into the mix...

*(This is a guess. Apologies if incorrect.)
Darley is a suburb of Bacchus Marsh, not Ballarat.

But yeah East Point are having Eastern Oval upgraded for cricket
Ballarat have recently had Alfredton Oval resurfaced
North City had their main and junior ovals upgraded as part of the Mars Stadium redevelopments
Sebas have had their oval resurfaced and lights improved
Redan have had City Oval and Western Oval redeveloped and drainage improved.

Mount Clear have a junior club and their facilities are being upgraded at the moment too.

Central Highlands clubs are in a number of other council areas (Hepburn Shire, Moorabool, and Golden Plains) with the exception of Buninyong which moved to a brand new oval ten years ago, and Learmonth which has always had one of the better ovals in the league previously holding grand finals.

The City of Ballarat has made an effort to improve all community sporting facilities, theres also the Ballarat Regional Soccer Complex at Morshead Park, the redeveloped Ballarat Netball Stadium on the way, and plans are underway to seek funding for an expansion of the Minerdome Basketball Complex.
 

Roogal

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Unfortunately within 24 hours of opening, f***wits smashed the windows as well as lights and sprayed graffiti on the walls and as of last week when I visited, unaware of the vandalism attack until then, the windows still haven't been replaced

That :mad: makes :mad: me:mad: so :mad: mad :mad:!!! Those idiots if caught should be made to pay for the clean up bill and windows :mad:
 

Roogal

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An aerial view of Ballarat's main ovals during the 2007 drought prompted the City to rebuild and drought proof them:

Each has now been re-built completely receiving $1.7 million rebuilds each that has included permanent recycled water irrigation, competition grade lighting, new surfaces with modern drainage systems. Austar Arena of course is Mars Stadium today, was originally the biggest oval and a bit of a no mans land for spectators.
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Below Lake Wendouree playing Bacchus Marsh on the ols Wendouree Oval before redevelopment.

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