A group led by Australian Football League (AFL) side The Greater Western Sydney Giants has announced the submission of a plan to the Australian Capital Territory Government (ACT) for a US$571m upgrade to the Manuka Oval and the venue’s surrounding area in the city of Canberra.
“For over 100 years, Manuka Oval has been a proud home for cricket and Australian Football in Canberra,” said Giants chairman, Tony Shepherd, in a club statement.
“But the oval’s potential is limited by not meeting benchmarks for international cricket or AFL.
“The proposed upgrades will mean that Canberra can attract more elite sporting events. They will also bring great improvements to the player and visitor experience.
“Manuka Green invokes a world class design for one of Canberra’s most valuable community assets – a design that better links Manuka Oval with Telopea Park and the Manuka shopping village.
“Our vision is for a beautiful new part of Canberra that is based on wonderful design, sustainability and public art which people will love to come to, whether to attend a sporting event, to work, to live or to visit and enjoy.”
The proposal includes 4,750 new permanent seats to replace poor-quality temporary seating and standing areas; new roofing covering 80% of seating; a multi-million-dollar landscape upgrade, including a new running track linking Manuka Oval to Telopea Park and the Kingston Foreshore; new hospitality, media and change room facilities; a mixed-use development in the Manuka precinct that includes a 4-star hotel and serviced apartments, residential, commercial and retail and a licensed club – overall the proposal includes approximately 1,507,000ft² of gross floor area; up to 450 additional car parking spaces; and preservation of heritage assets on the existing Manuka Oval precinct.
“Canberra is in the Giants’ DNA and this proposal further cements our commitment to the Canberra community and indeed our long-term future in the ACT,” Shepherd added.
“Importantly, this proposal strives to generate substantial long-term economic benefits for the ACT, sees the oval remain in community ownership and will come at no cost to the ACT taxpayer.
“This proposal understands the need to enhance the local environment for residents and traders. It is also committed to preserving the heritage assets on the current Manuka Oval site – these are important assets that remain key features of the Manuka community.”
February 18, 2016
