Kingston agrees community sport deal with Hawthorn Football Club

A partnership between Victoria’s City of Kingston and the Hawthorn Football Club is set to deliver a huge boost for local community sport into the future.

The 30-year funding and community access agreement governs the development and use of a new oval and pavilion at the Hawks’ new Dingley Village headquarters in south east Melbourne, to provide shared AFLW and community use.

The partnership will see the City of Kingston contribute $5 million towards the facility, and will ensure at least 20 hours per week for community use, with Hawthorn responsible for the ongoing maintenance and upkeep.

Advising that the partnership with the AFL club would help meet the growing demand for sporting facilities in the area, City of Kingston Mayor, Hadi Saab stated “sport participation numbers are booming in our region, with women and girls’ footy leading this, and it’s essential the necessary infrastructure is put in place to not only meet the current demands but also serve the generations to come.

“This project will cost-effectively transform a former landfill into a top-class facility and represents great value for money for our ratepayers. If we were to go it alone on a project of this type, we would be looking at four to five times as much upfront, plus the ongoing expenses.

“Our Council is passionate about supporting sport and particularly the participation of women and girls and we are looking forward to seeing the Kennedy Centre project come to fruition.”

City of Kingston Councillor, George Hua added “it’s an exciting project that will be a great asset for local sport, provide pathways into elite women’s football and help boost the local economy through construction and ongoing jobs.

“Community sport adds so much to Kingston by encouraging a healthy, active lifestyle and establishing strong community connections. It’s great to think that we could soon be seeing the next generation of young footy stars getting their start on a brand-new community oval here in Dingley Village.”

Image: Concept for the Hawks’ new Dingley Village headquarters. Credit: City of Kingston.