New $5 million soccer ground at O’Halloran Hill will ‘reunite’ the Cove Football Club
A new $5 million state-of-the-art sporting hub will ‘reunite’ Cove Football Club players, who currently train at four seperate locations.
THE future of a planned $5 million soccer ground at O’Halloran Hill has been assured after the State Government last week said it would fund half its cost.
Cove Football Club is moving to the new ground, which will feature two pitches with lights for night games and training, a spectator stand, clubroom and function centre.
Marion Council had already set aside $2.5 million towards the Majors Rd ground.
Cove chairman Leo De Pretis said the “fantastic” news would mean his club could reunite and play junior, senior and women’s games in one spot.
At the moment, players are spread between The Cove Sports and Community Club, Capella Reserve and Club Marion.
“We’ve been a club splintered with teams off in different areas and we want to be able to get everyone back together again,” Mr De Pretis said.
“Having a nice new stadium will attract players, attract more members, attract people to come and watch the games and attract sponsors.
“The income it will generate for the club is huge.”
Mr De Pretis said his 300-member club wanted to eventually make it into the premier league and having a “state of the art” home-ground would help this pursuit.
Marion Council earlier this year voted to put $2.5 million towards the soccer hub, in the hope that the State Government would fund the rest.
Its future was left unclear when Sports Minister Leon Bignell said the council could only apply for a maximum of $1 million.
At the time, Mayor Kris Hanna said if that was the case, “we may have to walk away from the project”.
But its fortunes were turned around when the government decided to set aside $10 million for soccer upgrades across the state, to meet the sport’s growing popularity.
It is hoped the new ground will be available by February 2018, in time for the soccer season.
Mr Hanna said his council was responding to huge demand for a top quality soccer ground in the south.
“Synthetic pitches will enable people to train and play in all weather,” he said.
“The council has worked closely with Football Federation SA for more than a year on options for a regional facility.”
Design and planning work for the new soccer ground will begin in the coming months, after which a construction schedule will be developed.