Max Amber Sportsfield wins SANFL Community Facility of the Year

By ZAC MILBANK

The innovative redevelopment of Max Amber Sportsfield has been recognised as the inaugural winner of SANFL’s Community Football Facility of the Year Award.

A major project worth more than $10 million, the new home of the Athelstone Football Club was chiefly funded by the City of Campbelltown and the Federal Government through its Community Development Program, together with support from the State Government.

Not only will it provide a wonderful facility for those lining up to play Aussie Rules for the Raggies, it will also be utilised as a key sporting community hub, supporting other sports such as soccer, cricket, tennis and netball.

Including new changerooms for male and female players, the facility is so well advanced, Athelstone has launched its own team for players with a disability while also increasing its offering for female players for 2023.

A large function centre is another admirable feature of the impressive facility, with full-length windows providing an uninhibited view of the play for those in a wheelchair or needing shelter from inclement weather.

The environmentally sustainable development also harnessed best-practice to achieve a goal of reducing energy consumption by 40 per cent as well as potable water consumption by 20 per cent.

In a nice touch recognising the facility’s presence on Kaurna land, the new building has been named ‘Wayikuu’ meaning: “room, or inside space, for moving.”

”These new facilities boast spectacular viewing areas, which cater for the needs of everyone,” City of Campbelltown Mayor Jill Whittaker said.

”They now provide spectators with a fine view of the play, close to the canteen.

”The Max Amber Sportsfield project represents the diverse range of sporting interests of the Athelstone community; with the facility catering for local football, cricket, tennis, soccer and now netball with the construction of two brand new netball courts.”

SANFL Infrastructure Manager Belinda Marsh congratulated the City of Campbelltown and the Athelstone Football Club on their success in winning the inaugural award amid a strong field of candidate projects.

‘’ SANFL has a strategic objective for football facilities across the state to be welcoming, and meeting the needs of our football community (players, officials, volunteers, and spectators) at all levels,” Belinda said.

” The re-development at Max Amber Sportfield delivers on all facets of this objective, while also producing economic benefits through solar and recycled water.

‘’The consultation and design process undertaken by the City of Campbelltown has delivered a superb, fit-for-purpose venue, which will enable increased football and wider sport participation at the site for many years to come.’’