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.
