Melbourne venues shake up

The Victorian Government is to spend $50 million building a new 5,000 seat State athletics facility on the site of the Bob Jane Stadium in the city's Albert Park.

The development, which will see Athletics Victoria's operations move from its current home at Olympic Park will see the current venueâs stands demolished and the relocation of its historic running track moved to Albert Park.

The plan is also expected to see the Collingwood AFL club establish a base at the Olympic Park site, alongside the Melbourne Football Clubâs administrative base - adjacent to the cityâs new rectangular football stadium

Victorian Sport and Recreations Minister James Merlino said that the development "will bring the track and field and aquatic sports into one world-class precinct."

Merlino denied that the changes would destroy the historic value of the area that was established when Melbourne hosted the 1956 Olympic Games, stating "this is an evolving precinct and it has, for decades, been an evolving precinct."