City of Darwin looks to add facilities for AFL oval

The City of Darwin has completed an engagement process to capture the community’s views on a proposal by AFL NT to construct a new change room complex at Nightcliff Oval.

The council has provided in-principle support to AFL NT for construction of the proposed fit-for-purpose, four-room change room complex at the field in the coastal suburb of Nightcliff.

The plan is to create gender-neutral facilities that support community demand as well as creating opportunities to develop partnerships with other community groups to use the space.

The concept design for the facility includes four change rooms, two accessible toilets, two trainers’ rooms, a medical room and an office, along with a canteen and storeroom.

In a statement, the council advised “Nightcliff Oval is the home ground for Nightcliff Football Club and Nightcliff Cricket Club and, due to recent membership growth, both clubs have found that the existing change rooms are not sufficient to accommodate all players on game days

“There was an outstanding response to the engagement process with 218 responses from key stakeholders and community members submitted via the Engage Darwin website.”

Respondents included peak sporting body representatives, sportspersons who play at the oval, spectators, frequent social users and residents.

The majority of survey responses expressed a positive sentiment. Key feedback in support of the proposal centred around the need for updated and modern facilities, appropriate amenities for non-male players, facilities that were large enough to accommodate multiple teams at once and that could contribute to improving community spirit.

The council added that the “City of Darwin works with peak bodies to support plans for the use, development, and management of sporting ovals, and AFL NT and Cricket NT both support the new change room complex at Nightcliff Oval, which forms part of the Nightcliff Oval Masterplan.”

AFL has pledged $250,000 towards the change room project, while City of Darwin Council and AFL NT are currently seeking government funding and private donations to fund the remainder of the project.

Several projects have already been completed as part of the Nightcliff Oval Masterplan with the installation of oval lighting and the construction of new facilities including a storage shed, canteen and tiered seating.

The AFL’s initiative to develop new sporting ovals across the country is explored in a feature in Australasian Leisure Management issue 151.

Images: Nightcliff Oval (top) and the City of Darwin outline of plans for the facility (below). Credit: City of Darwin.