VFL action returns to Coburg City Oval following grandstand renovations
After more than 700 days, Coburg returns to its spiritual home after phase one of Piranha Park’s $7 million redevelopment was completed. SEE THE PICTURES
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After more than 700 days VFL football returns to Coburg City Oval on Saturday.
Coburg will host Carlton following a $7 million renovation and redevelopment of Piranha Park.
Partially burnt down in 2003, the ground’s grandstand has been rebuilt with four brand new changerooms, gym and umpire facilities, function room and kitchen and 200 undercover seats installed.
New interchange benches and goalposts have been added and $300,000 in drainage improvements to ensure the ground doesn’t return to its infamous mudpile.
Lions general manager Seb Spagnuolo was thrilled with the results and couldn’t wait to welcome supporters back to their spiritual home.
“Throughout 2020 COVID affected a lot of things but luckily for our football club and this project it didn’t really slow it down,” he said.
“They were able to work through so we didn’t miss two full years of football and from now on we’ve got seven home games in a row to finish off the 2021 season.
“Andrew Sturgess and the coaching group have done a great job instilling confidence in the players that if we get through the first half of the year we know what’s happening the second half.”
Carlton will be the first club to test the new facilities before traditional rivals Northern Bullants arrive for the Battle of Bell Street the following week.
The Blues currently sit 11th on the VFL ladder with three wins, while Coburg is 18th with two wins.
Depending on government restrictions, Spagnuolo is expecting a big turnout for both games.
“Carlton has never come here as a standalone club and Coburg and Moreland is a big Carlton-supporting area,” he said.
“We’re hoping a lot of Carlton supporters can get in on the weekend, especially with the AFL team maybe not in Melbourne.
“Then the Northern Bullants, it’s amazing for our two clubs to be standalone again, we really respect the work they’ve done to be in the position they’re in.
“The Battle of Bell Street, them in their red jumper and us in our blue and red, it’s going to be fantastic.
“We’d love to see the restrictions eased from 1000 to maybe 2000, we feel like we can get a big crowd for the Carlton game and definitely for the Northern Bullants.
“If there were no restrictions at all I wouldn’t be surprised if we nudged 3000 at both of those games.”
Works around the ground will continue until at least 2023 with new terracing, improved outdoor catering options and further ground improvements planned.
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The ground will host Coburg’s VFL team as well as its newly formed women’s team, which is competing in the South East Women’s competition.
“For our women’s (team), their role in this project can’t be understated, it’s because of this project we were able to introduce a women’s team – the old changerooms were just no suitable for female athletes,” Spagnuolo said.
An eight-pitch centre wicket has been retained for the Coburg Cricket Club.
The funding was provided by the Victorian Government, Moreland Council, AFL and Cricket Victoria.
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