Norwood Oval's Cooper's Hill
Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 2:21 pmNORWOOD Oval’s famed Cooper’s Hill could be bulldozed for a $6.3 million clubrooms as part of redevelopment plans endorsed by Norwood, Payneham & St Peters Council.
The Cooper’s Hill option is one of four possible sites for a new building to house the football club and a merged St Morris/Norwood RSL sub-branch.
Another option, to build a new $6.7 million three storey venue within the locally heritage-listed Sir Edwin T Smith grandstand, was also given in-principle support by the council at its meeting last week.
Two other options - a $7 million redevelopment of the Baulderstone Stand (between the western and Smith stands), which was the football club’s preferred option, and a new $6.8 million three storey building at the oval’s north-western corner - were also considered but not endorsed by the council.
NP&SP Mayor Robert Bria said while the council had supported two of the options, all four proposals would be expected to go out for community consultation within two months.
“The two (preferred) locations present the best strategic options for the long-term benefit of the Norwood Football Club and the RSL, the council, the local and broader community and, indeed, the iconic Norwood Oval,” Mr Bria said.
He said redeveloping the Sir Edwin T. Smith stand would enable all of the football club’s activities, including its administration and player areas, to be in one place.
The Cooper’s Hill option was the cheapest of all four options, and at two storeys was less obtrusive, he said.
“The Baulderstone option poses some difficulties for nearby residents and the cantilevered upper levels would encroach over the Wood St footpath,” he said.
“We understand Cooper’s Hill is fairly iconic at Norwood Oval ... (but) if this option went ahead I don’t anticipate it taking up all of the whole area.”
The project would be jointly funded by the Redlegs, the RSL and the NP&SP ratepayers, however negotiations were not yet finalised.
Redlegs’ chief executive Dominic Shepley was not deterred by the council’s lukewarm response to its favoured Baulderstone option.
“We’re keen to work with the council to ensure we can achieve the growth and commercial opportunities that will flow from this project,” Mr Shepley said.
RSL state president Jock Statton said he had no strong preference for the location of its new clubrooms, which would house a new sub-branch once merger plans for St Morris and Norwood clubs were finalised.
“We just want to make sure we’ve got sufficient space for us and enough parking,” Mr Statton said.
The Cooper’s Hill option is one of four possible sites for a new building to house the football club and a merged St Morris/Norwood RSL sub-branch.
Another option, to build a new $6.7 million three storey venue within the locally heritage-listed Sir Edwin T Smith grandstand, was also given in-principle support by the council at its meeting last week.
Two other options - a $7 million redevelopment of the Baulderstone Stand (between the western and Smith stands), which was the football club’s preferred option, and a new $6.8 million three storey building at the oval’s north-western corner - were also considered but not endorsed by the council.
NP&SP Mayor Robert Bria said while the council had supported two of the options, all four proposals would be expected to go out for community consultation within two months.
“The two (preferred) locations present the best strategic options for the long-term benefit of the Norwood Football Club and the RSL, the council, the local and broader community and, indeed, the iconic Norwood Oval,” Mr Bria said.
He said redeveloping the Sir Edwin T. Smith stand would enable all of the football club’s activities, including its administration and player areas, to be in one place.
The Cooper’s Hill option was the cheapest of all four options, and at two storeys was less obtrusive, he said.
“The Baulderstone option poses some difficulties for nearby residents and the cantilevered upper levels would encroach over the Wood St footpath,” he said.
“We understand Cooper’s Hill is fairly iconic at Norwood Oval ... (but) if this option went ahead I don’t anticipate it taking up all of the whole area.”
The project would be jointly funded by the Redlegs, the RSL and the NP&SP ratepayers, however negotiations were not yet finalised.
Redlegs’ chief executive Dominic Shepley was not deterred by the council’s lukewarm response to its favoured Baulderstone option.
“We’re keen to work with the council to ensure we can achieve the growth and commercial opportunities that will flow from this project,” Mr Shepley said.
RSL state president Jock Statton said he had no strong preference for the location of its new clubrooms, which would house a new sub-branch once merger plans for St Morris and Norwood clubs were finalised.
“We just want to make sure we’ve got sufficient space for us and enough parking,” Mr Statton said.
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