Unley Oval Upgrade Works
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The lighting upgrade was completed in October 2023. The new LED lights have all now been commissioned and are ready for use from Monday 29 May 2024.
All works associated with the drainage, irrigation and new turf were completed in late January 2024. Establishment of the new surface commenced immediately thereafter, and the project completion is on schedule for Friday 26 April 2024.
Removal of the temporary fencing will commence on Monday 29 April and will be completed on Tuesday 30 April. Following this, full public access to the Oval will be permitted.
The official Community Opening Event signifying the reopening of the Oval will be hosted by Council on Saturday 4 May 2024, from 1pm to 4pm with formalities commencing at 2pm. We invite our wider community to join us in celebrating this great milestone.
Upgrade works
Unley Oval is considered by many to be Council’s premier open space asset and is well used by residents and the wider community for a range of recreational purposes. Various community and sporting events are also held on this highly regarded site.
Council replaced the Oval lighting in 2023 and has just completed the installation of the new surface on schedule.
The upgrades are part of Council’s ongoing commitment to providing a premier, high-quality open space facility within the City of Unley, ensuring it continues to be fit-for-purpose for Council, our residents and the wider community, the Sturt Football Club, and other sporting clubs.
Initial communications were undertaken with our wider community in September 2023 in the lead-up to the works commencing, when we sent letters about the project(PDF, 137KB) to residents in areas affected by works(PDF, 203KB) adjacent to the Oval.
Lighting upgrade
The scope of the project was to remove all existing metal halide lights which were at the end of their useful lives and install new LED fittings. The lighting upgrade works were completed in early October 2023.
New or additional poles were not required and all existing infrastructure was retained and used for the new lights. Council undertook the upgrade of the lights as part of its ongoing implementation of various environmental sustainability initiatives, including installation of LED lighting at its own buildings and facilities.
The Sturt Football Club requested an increase in existing lighting levels from 100lux to 150lux to enable it to comply with SANFL training requirements.
As part of its request, the Club committed to meeting costs incurred to increase lighting levels. This request was considered in the August Council agenda (page 135) and Council agreed and accepted the club's offer to pay additional costs. The requested 150lux does not enable the hosting of night matches at the Oval, which requires a lighting level greater than 500lux.
A new playing surface
The scope of the project involves the removal of the existing turf surface, which in recent years has been a challenge for Council to maintain. The upgrade will provide new drainage, irrigation, sub-surface, turf surface and four cricket pitches.
Prior to commencement of works there was no drainage at the Oval. In this respect, the new drainage being provided as part of the project is a significant element of the upgrade. It will be essential in ensuring an improved, better-wearing surface, which will be easier to maintain over the long term and provide more safety for players of all sports.
In 2022, Council undertook a review of the licensee usage of Unley Oval for the Sturt Football Club and Sturt Cricket Club. Following the conclusion of the review, Council decided to retain organised sport at the facility. The new turf surface will take into account the usage of the Oval and will be constructed accordingly to meet the objectives of use by the wider community, as well as those sporting clubs which call Unley Oval home.
A staged approach
The surface upgrade works commenced on Monday 9 October 2023 and took approximately six months to complete. The works were delivered in five key stages as follows:
- Stage 1 (5-weeks) preliminaries, site setup and management, turf stripping and grading.
- Stage 2 (4-weeks) irrigation installation.
- Stage 3 (2-weeks) delivery of growing material and turf preparation.
- Stage 4 (2-weeks) turf delivery and laying.
- Stage 5 (12-weeks) turf establishment and maintenance.
The proposed phased delivery of the works was subject to weather conditions and was expected to be completed on 8 April 2024. However, a significant rain event occurred on 28 November 2023 which caused significant damage to the works which had been undertaken to that date. The extensive rainfall across Adelaide's metropolitan areas on the day caused considerable damage to works which had been completed at the time.
Due to the extent of rainfall, the following had to occur:
- Major reconstruction of the mainline and trenching was needed, which caused delays in works.
- Cricket pitch construction was delayed to allow areas to adequately dry, resulting in subsequent delays with other works.
- External concrete drainage works were postponed as the compact rubble base required rectification, which delayed works and pushed out the concreting schedule by a number of weeks.
- Various deliveries were delayed as heavy vehicles could not access the Oval; this also caused delays with works having to be temporarily postponed.
Belair Turf Management (Council’s contractor) worked tirelessly to ensure that delays were minimised. The project was then rescheduled for completion on 26 April 2024, which has now been achieved.
Open Day - May 2024
We would love you to join us to celebrate the re-opening of Unley Oval.
Experience a FREE, fun filled community event at the Unley Oval Open Day on Saturday 4 May, from 1pm to 4pm!
- Enjoy live music performances
- Kids, get creative in our craft corner
- Participate in our come & try games and activities including AusKick and Walking Football
- Indulge in food and refreshments
- Dog lovers, bring your furry friends along for some tail-wagging fun at our special dog zone!
Frequently asked questions
While the resurfacing of Unley Oval will be managed by Council, expert contractors BTM will be carrying out the work, which involves excavation and installation of irrigation systems and replacement of turf. This will result in a top-quality surface for playing sport, running, recreation and dog walking, all the things our community enjoys about this iconic asset.
Will there be access to use the Oval during the turf resurfacing works?
No. The existing turf surface will be completely excavated for the duration of the works and for safety reasons, access to the Oval cannot be provided at all. However, the majority of the outer areas of the Oval where no works are proposed can be used for recreational purposes, including the children's playgrounds and public toilet facilities which will remain open. We would also like our community to be aware of Council's contractors and to ensure that their access to and from the site is not impeded or restricted.
What alternative locations are available when access to the Oval is not permitted?
For general recreation, Council's other parks, reserves and playgrounds can be found here.
What about dog exercise areas and off-leash parks?
Council's parks and reserves with exercise and off-leash provisions for dogs can be found here.
Will Council be providing the community with further updates about upgrade works at Unley Oval?
Yes. Council will provided updates regarding the works at Unley Oval through various means to ensure the community is kept informed. Updates will be provided via:
- Unley Oval scoreboard with regular messages uploaded
- Council social media channels (Facebook and Instagram) will provide latest information and news
- This dedicated web page, which will be updated regularly.
- An initial letterbox drop has been done, communicating with approximately 400 residents who live within the area bounded by Marion Road, Duthy Street, Fairford Street and Unley Road.
What other things will residents in the area need to be aware of?
For periods during turf removal and replacement, nearby residents and Oval users will notice an increase in truck movements to and from the site. All heavy vehicle movements during the works will be via a temporary access point at the Frederick Street frontage to the Oval. Routes for heavy vehicles will be via Duthy Street, Unley Road and Oxford Terrace. Times of heavy vehicle movements will be restricted from 7am to 4pm weekdays and occasional Saturdays when required.
How can I get more information regarding the proposed works?
If you have inquiries or concerns about the project itself such as:
- Why is Council doing this?
- Why are the works taking so long?
- Where can I get more information about the scope of the works?
- What other locations are there for me to exercise my dog?
Please contact Council and we will be happy to answer your questions. Call our Customer Experience Team on 8372 5111.
If you have inquiries or concerns about the works themselves such as:
- Noise, dust or work vehicles access and egress
- Site work hours
- Cleanliness and tidiness of the site
- Report after-hours incidents or issues.
Please contact BTM Site Manager, Simon Gunn, via email at Simon.gunn@belairturf.com.au or call 0421 923 108.
During the warmer, dryer months, dust may become an issue. How will this be managed?
To mitigate dust during the works at Unley Oval, BTM will implement a 3-stage plan, namely:
- Stage 1: While existing irrigation is operational, watering will be adjusted at intervals to occur every 2-hours to suppress dust.
- Stage 2: Once the civil component begins, a water truck will be in operation continuously wetting the ground and following the grader and loader on site.
- Stage 3: After the subgrade cut is complete, BTM will apply 'superskin' which will remain on the Oval until the installation of the the new irrigation system is completed.