Work commences on Hawthorn Football Club’s new community facility

The Hawthorn Football Club has reached a significant milestone in the construction of its future home with the official turning of the first sod at the Kennedy Community Centre at Dingly in south-east Melbourne.

Commencing with a sod turning ceremony last Friday, stage 1 of the project on the 28-hectare site will see the delivery of a community pavilion and AFLW oval, featuring full broadcast capabilities and grandstand seating.

Simultaneously, the adjacent ‘Harris’ Elite Training and Administration Facility, home to the club’s staff, past and present players will also take also shape, which includes an indoor training field, high performance gym and aquatic facilities, and an MCG-sized oval.

Backed by a $30 million investment from the Federal and Victorian Governments, the $100 million Centre, named in honour of Hawthorn legend John Kennedy, will be the new home base for the Hawks and will provide players and staff with some of the best facilities in the country.

The project will see Hawthorn continue to be the only club in the AFL competition to own its own facility and the land on which it is situated.

For the AFLW team, which has played most of their home matches in Frankston with additional matches played in Box Hill and even Cairns - the Centre will serve as their new home.

Aiming for the development to transform Hawthorn’s standing as a destination club for both its AFL and AFLW programs, Hawthorn President Andy Gowers advised on Friday that “this facility will not only safeguard our football club’s future, but also create a long-term home for the entire Hawthorn family.

“We’re incredibly proud and grateful to be delivering what is one of the largest investments by an AFL club, working in partnership with federal and state governments, the City of Kingston and the AFL.”

Gowers, Hawthorn Chief Executive Ash Klein and Senior Coach Sam Mitchell were joined by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos and other dignitaries to mark the occasion last Friday morning.

Klein said the facility would give Hawthorn a competitive edge on rival clubs, while also providing significant benefits for the local community, adding “the Kennedy Community Centre will be a game changer.

“With equal facilities for both men’s and women’s programs, every single Hawthorn player will be supported to reach their potential in a high-performance environment that is the envy of the competition.”

Minister Dimopoulos went on to say “this is such an exciting step in helping deliver the Hawthorn Football Club elite facilities for the club’s AFLW team while creating a home base for many years to come.”

The club has developed a fundraising strategy to help support the construction of the new elite facility.

Stage 1 is expected to be completed in 2025.

Images: Concepts for the Hawthorn's completed Kennedy Community Centre. Credit: Hawthorn FC.