Darebin City Council and Eastern Property Services have completed the redevelopment of the John Hall Reserve Pavilion. The new Pavilion, home to Azaad Club Melbourne, delivers on a key strategic action outlined in the 2021-2025 Darebin Council Plan.
The Council’s 2020 Outdoor Sport Infrastructure Framework assessment audit deemed the previous Pavilion a redevelopment priority. It required a full redevelopment to adhere to the standards of a modern community sporting facility, particularly for women and girls.
The Mayor of Darebin, Kristine Olaris, spoke at the official opening of the Pavilion, noting the necessity of the redevelopment.
“As the Mayor of Darebin, I’m really proud to officially be in the position to open the John Hall Pavilion redevelopment,” she said via statement.
“The former Pavilion, of course, had served us well, but had reached the end of its useful life.”
The redevelopment process placed a strong emphasis on the creation of an inclusive environment for people of all ages, genders and backgrounds.
The new and improved Pavilion includes features informed by the recommendations of tenant sporting clubs and state sporting bodies. This includes gender neutral and inclusive team change rooms, showers and toilets, gender-inclusive referee change rooms and a publicly accessible all gender ambulant toilet.
Consultations also led to the inclusion of social function rooms, designed to accommodate an ever-growing community.
Olaris highlighted the need for a facility that served the local community more effectively.
“It was time to build something that could better meet the needs of a modern, growing and diverse community, particularly by creating a more inclusive and accessible space for women and girls in sport,” she added.
The Pavilion’s new design exceeds the Council’s ESD policy requirements and those of the National Construction Code. It does so by incorporating several green initiatives, including the reticulation of catchment water, a solar PV system, high efficiency electric appliances and passive design principles.
The newly revamped and modernised John Hall Reserve Pavilion offers a welcoming environment that supports community sport and social connection. This provides the opportunity to get involved in football to Darebin locals of all ages, genders and backgrounds.
