Sturt’s new player facilities at Unley Oval to be ready by August

STURT’S investment in its future with new player facilities is set to be completed in August, while the club is confident stage two work on social facilities will get the go ahead.

An artist impression of the social facilities planned for the Oatey Stand at Unley Oval.

THE much-needed upgrade of player facilities at Unley Oval is on target to be completed in August.

Work is advanced on stage one of the Building The Blues project to provide new changerooms, a gym and medical facilities under the Oatey Stand.

There is also a refurbish of the current changerooms under the Harry J McKay Stand to accommodate junior and women’s football which should be ready at the end of the year.

As for stage two, social facilities in the Oatey Stand, another crucial step to its construction will be taken on Tuesday night when the club has a function to update members as well as continue fundraising.

The Unley Council has put $1.8 million into the project, while the state government has provided $482,000 under the women’s facilities grant. The AFL has donated $250,000.

The Double Blues must still find more funding to complete the work, but president Jason Kilic has no doubt members and fans will be enjoying the new social rooms within a couple of years.

He described the players’ facilities at the Double Blues’ home ground as the worst in the SANFL and said the redevelopment was the club’s biggest undertaking in 40 years.

“The players have been doing weights in a dogbox,” Kilic said. “We have done well, exceeded expectations, given the facilities we have got for the players.

“The social clubrooms in the Oatey Stand will have arguably the best view of Unley Oval. This has been 15 years in the making, it was spoken about by management 15 years ago and despite the best efforts was not able to be started.

“We’ve got a very good relationship with the council and they have been tremendous. There is no deadline for the social clubrooms, but we want it to happen in the next year or two and I’m really confident this will happen.

“It needs to happen.”

The Double Blues have relied heavily on a volunteer group tagged the Baggies to do jobs such as painting the changerooms and repairs.

Now is the right time to have a significant upgrade, according to Kilic.

“We are creating success and we want more,” he said. “This is all about ensuring a great future for the club.

“This league is the pathway to the AFL, we have a great zone and great numbers, participation is high and now we have women’s football growing.

“This project is a real investment in the future, investing in our own future, but also investing in the SANFL long term.”