Australian first will set the bar for sports science, public facilities

A $150 million sports park in Bundoora will be the first in the country to cater for students, spectators and sports professionals, and is already home to two top state sporting clubs.

Stage 2 of the park will combine clubrooms and teaching facilities. Picture: Supplied

La Trobe University’s $150 million sports park will feature the country’s first purpose-built facility combining education spaces with industry leading sports facilities.

Architects Warren and Mahoney released concept images of the site they expect will be copied by universities around the country.

The park is already home to a number of professional teams including the Carlton VFLW side and Melbourne City FC teams, and will be fully open to the public.

Warren and Mahoney lead architect Daryl Maguire said the park was an exciting project to work on because of how important community facilities were to the everyday person.

“People grow up using these things and remember them for years,” he said.

Carlton’s AFLW side is one of the teams based at the facility. Picture: Mark Dadswell

Originally designed as multiple buildings, as many facilities as possible were combined to encourage visitors to engage in multiple sports and activities, Mr Maguire said.

“The more activity that’s visible, the more participation there is,” he said.

Mr Maguire said the biggest challenge was creating cohesion between spaces for professional training, tertiary education and community use.

The teaching and research building is combined with an indoor stadium with six multipurpose highball courts.

And it’s not just sport, with spaces designed for other “holistic activities”.

Staff, students, spectators and players will all use the space, which flows out onto the ovals.

Mr Maguire said the big trend in the world of sports facilities was moving them from pure sport and including other “wellness” facilities to attract the wider community.

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The centre will also be home to La Trobe’s sports science education program.

Students will access laboratories to study biomechanics, take blood samples, and use slow motion capture to improve athlete technique.

“There will be other universities who’ll be looking at this and wanting to have their version of it for sure,” Mr Maguire said.

At the launch of construction, Carlton Football Club chief executive Cain Liddle said the sports park would provide the elite facilities the club needed.

“The new La Trobe Sports Park and redevelopment of Ikon Park ensures all four of our teams have the high performance facilities they need to perform at their best,” Mr Liddle said.

Stage two, due for completion in early 2020, is expected to draw 10,000 visitors a week. Further development via a third stage is also planned.

@richardapearce