New facilities at Flagstaff

Recreation facilities are being upgraded at the Flagstaff Hill Sports Ground.

Flagstaff Hill sporting clubs and local residents are happy to be putting the highly anticipated new and improved sport and recreation facilities to use at the Flagstaff Hill Sports Ground.

The upgrades are supported by more than $1.1 million from the City of Onkaparinga, together with $500,000 from the state government and $400,000 in federal government funding, secured by the Flagstaff Community Centre. Council has also allocated more than $90,000 towards the upgrade of the cricket facilities thanks to federal government funding through the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program.

The improvements made to the sports ground to date include installation of a new unisex modular changeroom facility, new fully enclosed cricket practice nets, rebuilding two hard courts and resealing another four courts, refreshing two playgrounds, and designing and installing services infrastructure, paving, fencing and landscape works on the site.

A significant refurbishment of the main shared clubroom building is also currently being designed in collaboration with club representatives and will begin construction in early 2022.

The new changerooms were officially opened by City of Onkaparinga Mayor Erin Thompson, Flagstaff Community Centre chair Steve Murray MP, Member for Davenport, and Corey Wingard MP, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing, at the Flagstaff Hill Football Club’s last home game of the season in August. Mayor Thompson acknowledged the hard work, patience and persistence of everyone who’s been involved with the upgrades to date, particularly the Flagstaff Community Centre board and club presidents who’ve worked closely with council across all projects.

“It’s rare that we get the opportunity to upgrade a whole sports park, but that’s just what we’ve done here,” she says.

Flagstaff Hill Football Club President Neil Williams is enthusiastic about the upgrades and the potential boost in sport participation that the new unisex changeroom facilities will enable.

“The upgrades are exciting for the local community. It’s been a long time coming, but people can see a lot happening now,” Neil says. “The new unisex changerooms have been built with women footballers in mind so they don’t feel like they’re using men’s changerooms.”

Revitalisation of the clubroom in 2022 will make it more functional for the multiple club and community users. New bigger fridges are being installed, and a canteen food preparation area will give volunteers more room during busy periods.

“The bar currently cuts into the middle of the room, so we’re turning it around to create more open space. It will help us to accommodate more guests and meet social distancing requirements as needed,” Neil says.

Ross Kauschke has been president of the Flagstaff Hill Tennis Club for 12 years and part of the upgrade project since its early days in 2017-18.

“Our two dedicated tennis courts were previously unsafe for our matches. Now they are up to standard, and they look great,” Ross says.

The Flagstaff Hill Cricket Club has had a couple of interrupted seasons because of the works around the ground, but President Steve Cope is optimistic about the summers ahead.

“It’s been a long process to get to where we are now with the facilities, but it will be fantastic when the works are complete,” Steve says.