Banyule City Council has commenced stage three works on Olympic Park as the venue continues to prosper in redevelopment.
Olympic Park is located in Heidelberg West on the western fringe of the municipality. Home to Heidelberg United Football Club, it is an established sport and community recreation reserve with a significant history – once used as a prominent training base for the 1956 Olympic Games.
The venue is undergoing a four-stage redevelopment process in order to provide functional and appropriate levels of sport and recreation infrastructure, and shift towards more informal and casual recreation pursuits.
Originally adopted by Council on March 14, 2017, the Olympic Park master plan has seen the first and second stages already completed, which included:
- The redevelopment of the main playing pitch (natural turf)
- Underground infrastructure
- Reshaping of dirt mounds around the pitch and access paths.
- Synthetic mini-roos pitch/warm up area (including drainage, fencing and lighting).
- Car parking with Water Sensitive Urban Design elements including bio swales and bio retention basins.
- Playground with nature place, structured play, shelter, BBQs and picnic furniture.
- Electrical substation upgrades and main pitch lighting
- Landscaping and shared paths.
- 1956 Memorial Olympic Garden.
The third stage of the process is in place to construct a new car park located at the north entrance road to Olympic Park Reserve, including water sensitive urban design. The works began in late December last year and are scheduled to be completed by March 2022.
Stage four works are expected to begin mid 2022 and predicted to be finished by March 2023. It is still in the planning phase for the time being, where it currently includes:
- Reconstruction and realignment of the northern cricket pitch (including drainage, lighting, fencing).
- Reconstruction and realignment of two additional soccer pitches / cricket pitch with wicket between the soccer pitches (including drainage, irrigation, fencing, lighting).
- New pavilion (change rooms, toilets, social space).
- Cricket practice nets.
- Acrylic futsal/basketball area (including fencing, lighting).
- Refurbishment of Barrbunin Beek.
- Landscaping and paths.
It is estimated that the cost of stage three and stage four works will be $7.5m. Council has allocated $3.0m (over four years) and the State Government has funded $4.5m.
