Images and renders: City of Adelaide
Construction is set to begin within the next few weeks on a major revamp of community sporting facilities in the Adelaide Park Lands, with Golden Wattle Park/Mirnu Wirra in Park 21W to become the first site upgraded under a new City of Adelaide building program.
The project will see the ageing 1960s-era clubrooms on Goodwood Road replaced with a modern new facility built in collaboration with the Adelaide Community Sports and Recreation Association (ACSARA).
When complete, the new building will include six unisex change rooms, a kitchen, common area, sheltered outdoor space, public toilets, a kiosk, umpire facilities and first aid rooms. The upgraded clubrooms will support the wide mix of sport already played at the site, including football, cricket, soccer, ultimate frisbee, netball and school sport.
Site works are due to get underway in April, with construction to happen in two stages so current sport enthusiasts can continue to access the clubrooms while the first new facility is built.
The project also brings a sustainability focus, with the new clubrooms to feature natural light, ventilation, a cool roof and native plantings suited to the surrounding Park Lands setting.
The current Golden Wattle Park clubrooms
Mayor of Adelaide Doctor Jane Lomax-Smith said the redevelopment had been a long time coming and reflected the growing needs of the city.
“Competitive and recreational amenity is important as the residential population of the city expands,” said the Lord Mayor.
“Clubrooms must meet modern expectations though and that’s a key reason why we developed a co-funding model to replace tired and outdated buildings after several decades of low investment.
“Golden Wattle Park was identified as the first complex to be replaced, with the West Adelaide Soccer Club’s ageing facilities at Park 27B to follow.”
ACSARA President Mark Borgas said the start of works followed years of planning and collaboration.
“ACSARA looks forward to making the Park 21W precinct a thriving hub for community sport and recreation,” said Mr Borgas.
“This milestone reflects the countless hours and financial commitment of ACSARA members who have been critical in getting to this stage and we thank the City of Adelaide, Office of Recreation, Sport and Racing (ORSR), SANFL and SACA for their support.”
The project has also secured strong state backing, with the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing contributing $1.5 million through its funding programs.
ORSR Chief Executive Kylie Taylor said the new clubrooms would help deliver more inclusive and accessible sporting infrastructure for South Australians.
“These modern, inclusive facilities will support a wide range of users and help ensure more South Australians can participate in sport and recreation in a welcoming and accessible environment,” Ms Taylor said.
“Upgrading infrastructure like this is critical to meeting the needs of growing communities, and we’re proud to have contributed $1.5 million through our funding programs to deliver a space that will serve clubs, schools and the broader community for years to come.”
With work about to begin, the Golden Wattle Park redevelopment is shaping up as the first visible step in a broader push to modernise ageing community sport infrastructure across Adelaide’s Park Lands.
Construction will soon start on the clubrooms and completion dates are yet to be announced.
For more information, visit https://www.cityofadelaide.com.au/media-centre
