Olympic Park Oval

Olympic Park Oval
Former names	Olympic Park Stadium
Location	Olympic Park, Melbourne, Victoria
Coordinates	37°49′29″S 144°58′53″E / 37.82472°S 144.98139°E
Owner	Melbourne & Olympic Parks Trust
Operator	Melbourne & Olympic Parks Trust
Capacity	3,500
Surface	Grass
Construction
Opened	2013
Construction cost	$11,300,000 AUD
Tenants
	Collingwood Football Club ; Administration & Training (2013–present) ; VFL (2016–present) ; AFLW (2017–18)

Olympic Park Oval is an Australian rules football ground located on the site of the former Olympic Park Stadium in Olympic Park, Melbourne.^[2] 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^[3]).

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..^[1] Olympic Park Oval was created in stadium's former location. The oval opened for use on 11 April 2013.^[4]^[5] The Federal Government and Collingwood Football Club announced in April 2012 the additional construction of indoor community and training facilities on the site.^[6] These were opened in October 2015.^[7]

Olympic Park Oval plays host to some of Collingwood'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 Collingwood in the AFL Women's competition during the 2017 and 2018 seasons, before the team shifted home matches to Victoria Park in Abbotsford.^[8]

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.^[9]

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.^[2] For viewing purposes the oval features limited concrete terracing and four light towers for evening play.^[2]

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.^[7]

Panorama of Olympic Park Oval from the north east corner of the ground

External links

Official website of the Collingwood Football Club
Olympic Park Oval at Austadiums

References

^ ^a ^b "New lease of life for Olympic Park". Major Projects. Victorian Government. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Olympic Park Oval". Austadiums. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
^ "Contact". Collingwood Football Club. 23 September 2022. Archived from the original on 23 September 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
^ "Olympic Park". Melbourne Olympic Parks. Melbourne Olympic Parks Trust. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
^ "New lease of life for Olympic Park". Major Projects Victoria. Victorian Government. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
^ "New community hub at Olympic Park". Collingwood Media. Bigpond. 28 April 2012. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
^ ^a ^b Dennehy, Luke (29 October 2015). "Eddie McGuire sentimental as Collingwood Football Club launches new events space The Glasshouse". Herald Sun. News Corp. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
^ Black, Sarah (26 October 2018). "AFLW fixture: Cats kick off new season - AFL.com.au". afl.com.au.
^ "Gosch's Paddock & Olympic Park Oval". Melbourne Olympic Parks. Melbourne Olympic Parks Trust. Retrieved 8 January 2017.