CDFC Redelopment

[gazzamagoo]

As you know from my previous letters to our members, we have been working closely with the City of Playford on the development of a masterplan for X Convenience / Elizabeth Oval and surrounds. This close collaboration has been ongoing over the past 3 years, but has also been a discussion between the club and the Council for several years prior.

The shared objective has always been to deliver a masterplan that creates a closer connection between the club and the local community through new and upgraded facilities, the ability to host large scale community, sports and cultural events, to provide the Central District Football Club with new modern facilities overlooking the oval, upgraded grandstand and changerooms with significantly improved disabled access facilities around the oval.

Over the past 2 years we have met several times with the working group, reviewing and workshopping many designs and plans, challenging each option and amending them for further review. Recently, we met with the Elected Members and executive team of the Council, to workshop the best options and designs that could achieve the outcomes we are seeking. The masterplan has now been finalised and will be considered by Council as part of their July meeting cycle.

This means that the plans will be made publicly available as part of the Strategy and Services Committee Agenda, on Thursday 03 July. With it becoming public, our Board wanted to share this important progress directly with our members.

Included in the final design are key elements such as a large and welcoming oval entrance, in the form of a boulevard in the northeastern corner of the oval, opposite the Aquadome. This entrance would include a large plaza for activities or events both on game and non-game days. It would have a clear view from the Elizabeth City Centre, connecting the oval to the city’s retail precinct.

Community amenities such as shelters along the eastern wing of the outer and new disabled amenities and access points have also been included. From the football side, there would be an upgrade of our main changerooms and umpires’ facilities, as well as new coaches, media and services boxes at the top of the grandstand to ensure facilities maintain compliance with the relevant standards for a State League venue. In addition, the masterplan includes new lights to allow night games and potential Gather Round fixtures, as well as a new scoreboard with live vision and sound.

A significant part of the masterplan includes a two-story hospitality venue which would overlook the oval and provide outstanding viewing of the football match or community event on display.

Originally, this hospitality venue was being considered as an addition to the Grand Central offering. Grand Central, which along with the car park is owned by the club, is earmarked for a considerable upgrade over the coming years. This, together with the option of running two venues at the oval (Grand Central and a new venue overlooking the oval) was found to present significant cost and management challenges.

After much discussion with the Board and the Council, we agreed the option that would deliver the greatest benefit would be to relocate Grand Central, to be the oval-side hospitality venue - literally, build a new two-storey Grand Central including all the new modern amenities, upgraded facilities, new carparking areas in a new venue. This new Grand Central would be located at the northwestern end of the oval and would be home to our bingo, bistro, sports bar, gaming room, function room, lounge, museum and administration offices.

While discussions about the existing Grand Central building and carpark have been limited to date, should Council endorse the Masterplan, the next step will be to assess the future use and direction of the current Grand Central site, including potential redevelopment opportunities.

In any case, the CDFC Board has been very clear that whatever the final outcome may be, the club must be better off on its balance sheet, we will not forfeit any value in asset holdings and our members, supporters and customers be rewarded with the best facilities available.

There will be much work to be done over the next 2 or 3 years should Council endorse the masterplan in July.

Following Council endorsement, the Board will formally endorse the masterplan on behalf of the Club.

A new vision for the Club and the community will be in front of us with great opportunities ahead.

The CDFC and Council will be together in partnership to advocate for funding support from State and Federal Governments.

What a great opportunity to deliver a brand new, modern hospitality venue overlooking the best football oval in the SANFL, a great result for our members and supporters, our customers as well as the local community.

[gazzamagoo]

Attached is the link to the images of the proposed development.

https://emailevents.sportsubs.com.au/ap ... c4438db58f

[mots02]

Looks great!

Is this the wonderful news Booney has been hinting at

[Brucetiki]

The plans look outstanding. Looking forward to seeing it take shape