Walkerville Oval Open Space
The Town of Walkerville has developed concept plans for outdoor sports and infrastructure improvements within the Walkerville Oval precinct.
The proposed changes seek to bring the existing sporting infrastructure at the Oval up to modern design, compliance and safety standards, whilst also improving pedestrian connectivity and amenity through the precinct. The recommended changes have come about as a result of Town of Walkerville’s long-standing commitment to improving the facilities at Walkerville Oval as part of its major projects strategy.
The plan aims to improve night-time sporting standards, introduce community netball and basketball to the oval precinct, replace the old shade structure with a new community picnic area, and landscaping.
Council consulted on the below proposed scope of works from 9am on Thursday, 18 January 2024 to 5pm on Wednesday, 7 February 2024:
- New Walkerville Oval lighting & electrical infrastructure;
- New multi-sport community court area with lighting (featuring line marking and match-compliant runoff for netball, basketball and tennis. Under plans, the current two tennis courts would be reduced to one tennis court to allow for line marking for a compliant netball court, as well as a basketball court);
- New cricket practice nets (featuring six synthetic pitches for public use and two turf pitches to be used and maintained by the Walkerville Cricket Club);
- New 10m x 4m shelter with two picnic tables/seating and new barbecue, with an accessible path linking through to Alfred Street; and
- New public toilet.
During consultation, more than 50 responses were received from the community. The key feedback included:
- the reduction of two tennis courts to one was strongly opposed;
- increasing the quantity of cricket pitches from five to eight was strongly criticised; and
- the area of playground that would be removed to accommodate the additional cricket pitches (which included a brick shade structure and sandpit) is frequently used and should be retained.
As a result of the feedback received – at its Ordinary Meeting on 19 February 2024 – Council revised the design to:
- retain the two tennis courts, whilst upgrading the non-compliant AstroTurf to a compliant hard court surface;
- increase the playing surface to be compliant for multi sports (including netball and basketball);
- include six synthetic cricket pitches (an increase from the current five); and
- retain the grassed area behind the cricket nets;
- install a new sandpit within the playspace.
The upgrade would also include landscape screening in order to reduce the visual impact on surrounding residences.
To view the revised design, click here