Whitten Oval Club Community Sports Hall

[bornadog]

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Today I was lucky enough to be invited to the opening of the new Sports Hall. For those of you who haven't been to the Whitten Oval for awhile, the hall is absolutely magnificent. Consisting of 4 full basketball size courts, the sports hall will be run by the VU and there will be at least 600 kids playing there on a daily basis.

The hall is attached to the John Gent stand and is an imposing building and any bulldog fan should be proud of the facility. The club expects to add to revenue by around $1 million per annum.

This now completes the redevelopment of Whitten Oval with some $31 million spent and to think just 6 years ago it was all a pipe dream.

So if you get a chance have a look and those with kids playing basketball and going to school in the West, I am sure you will get to see it first hand when the kids play there.

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa198/mmsalih/d9pvhi.jpg

[Dazza]

Great to get some positive news. Thanks for posting that.

[w3design]

Thats awesome news and great reporting .We might be able to upset K B by spotting future talent with a basketball back ground.

[bornadog]

Whitten Oval Community Sports Hall declared open (http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/westernbulldogsnewsfeatures/newsarticle/tabid/4112/newsid/123071/default.aspx)

The Western Bulldogs’ today opened the Whitten Oval Community Sports Hall, an impressive four court indoor sports stadium that also signifies the completion of the $31 million Whitten Oval Community and Sports Hub.

The newest sporting asset to the West, delivered in partnership with Victoria University, the Sports Hall will hold competitions in basketball, netball, futsal, volleyball and badminton.

Once fully operational, this vibrant community facility will cater for over 600 people per day - with almost 4,000 school children, teenagers and adults expected to use the Sports Hall each week to exercise, play sport and get healthy.

Along with nightly competitions, the facility built by local North Melbourne builder, Contract Control Services will also play host to school multi-sport and holiday programs, sport clinics and birthday parties.

Speaking at today’s opening, Bulldogs’ President David Smorgon praised all those who had contributed to the project and supported it coming to fruition.

“What a wonderful example of community partnership, what a great example to the rest of this nation as a community working together to create something that five years ago was just a dream,” Smorgon said.

“Six hundred kids a day are expected to use this facility - adults to use it in the night time - they won’t have to cross the Maribyrnong to go to Albert Park to get to an indoor sports hall. All of this - we can all feel jointly proud of.”

The Hon. Nicola Roxon, Federal Minister for Health who officially declared the facility open spoke about the growing number of community facilities now available in the West - from child care and kindergarten to high quality sporting and education facilities.

“All of it has a message - you might not use every one of those - but all of it is about saying that if you live in this region you can support the best footy club, you can go to the best university, you can play in the best facilities, you can get the best education and that is something that is really worth us fighting for,” Minister Roxon said.

“And I am just delighted that this facility is part of such a good story to tell.”

In total $5 million has been invested in this amazing community facility with $1.2 million from the Federal Jobs Fund, $500,000 in State Government funds, $1 million from the Sidney Myer Fund and $1.5 million from the John T Reid Charitable Trusts.

Western Bulldogs CEO, Simon Garlick pointed to the significance of the Sports Hall to the West.

“We are very proud to gather here today on what used to be a patch of gravel and dirt - as it not only brings us to the end of a six year journey bringing this place up to scratch - it also reflects the growth of the West and our community, Garlick said.

“This facility is symbolic of the coming of age of a Western community that is no longer looking eastward to access facilities that quite rightly should be here in the fastest growing region in the country.

“No longer the poorer second cousin - through partnerships we are coming together to strengthen our community, grow our capacity and live up to our potential”.

The numbers behind the Whitten Oval Community Sports Hall tell a great story:
5 million - the dollars that was wisely invested in this worthy facility from a range of generous government and philanthropic partnerships;
3,000 - the number of square metres that the building takes up
4,000 - is the number of school children and community members expected to use the Sports Hall every week - that’s 600 a day
1,000 - the number of newly arrived teenagers who have participated in sport here under our community programs since the facility first opened just a month ago
100 - the number of competitive sports games expected to be played here each week.
77 - the number of basketball, netballs, volleyballs, shuttlecocks and indoor soccer balls that could be flying around at any one time!

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE WHITTEN OVAL SPORTS HALL?

Come along to our Community Open Day Sunday the 11th of September from 12PM to 4PM.

Learn more about competitions, hall hire, school programs, after school clinics and even birthday parties.

As a special treat join the Melbourne Vixens between 2pm - 3pm - test your netball skills and participate in some fun activities.

For more information on the Community Open Day please CLICK HERE or contact Sarah Harrington on 9919 6344 or email sarah.harrington@vu.edu.au.

[Ghost Dog]

Thanks for posting those. Be proud

[BulldogBelle]

4,000 - is the number of school children and community members expected to use the Sports Hall every week - that’s 600 a day
1,000 - the number of newly arrived teenagers who have participated in sport here under our community programs since the facility first opened just a month ago


Hopefully we can convert all of these young kids into Bulldog supporters

Great to diversify the clubs income stream, and move away from the traditional pokies + pub focus and move towards something that actually puts back into the community

[LostDoggy]

Looks good but has anyone noticed that our ELC looks 'cheap' compared to other clubs redeveloped facilities. Richmond is a good example. Our ELC just seems like a big shed.

[GVGjr]

Looks good but has anyone noticed that our ELC looks 'cheap' compared to other clubs redeveloped facilities. Richmond is a good example. Our ELC just seems like a big shed.

Have you been in for a tour of the ELC? What it lacks in the exterior with club colors etc when compared to other clubs like Richmond I don't think it's too far behind the times as a training facility and it's certainly not cheap.

It would appear to me that Carlton copied the ELC for their facility. I do like the look of the Tigers ground though.

[Ghost Dog]

Have you been in for a tour of the ELC? What it lacks in the exterior with club colors etc when compared to other clubs like Richmond I don't think it's too far behind the times as a training facility and it's certainly not cheap.

It would appear to me that Carlton copied the ELC for their facility. I do like the look of the Tigers ground though.

Ok. I'm not a fan of the postmodern style of random asymmetrical 'bits'.
I studied at the RMIT building, which is all cream and no cake - the inside is horrible. Nearly always seems the inside of the building becomes secondary when aesthetics override.

I haven't seen the inside of the Richmond building and for where it is in the city, It's a very good promo for the club, but will become dated pretty shortly.

When it comes to building public infrastructure, would much rather the lionshare of funding be sunk into the parts that people actually use. Excited about our new facility. Facings can be added later anyway.

[Mitcha]

Looks the goods, now if only we could come up with sufficient car parking. It's a nightmare getting a park around the place on a training day.

[SonofScray]

Hopefully I can get my futsal team back together and playing there. Any word on what leagues etc they'll be starting up?

[bornadog]

Hopefully I can get my futsal team back together and playing there. Any word on what leagues etc they'll be starting up?

Contact Sarah Harrington on 9919 6344 or email sarah.harrington@vu.edu.au, she is looking after the centre.