State Netball and Hockey Centre

State Netball Hockey Centre
The Cage
Melbourne Tigers playing at 'The Cage'
Location 10 Brens Drive, Royal Park, Parkville, Victoria
Coordinates 37°47′9″S 144°56′53″E / 37.78583°S 144.94806°E / -37.78583; 144.94806Coordinates: 37°47′9″S 144°56′53″E / 37.78583°S 144.94806°E / -37.78583; 144.94806
Owner Victorian Government
Operator State Sport Centres Trust
Capacity Netball: 250 & 3,000–3,500
Basketball: 3,500
Field Hockey: 250 & 1,000 (max 8,000)[1]
Construction
Broke ground March 1999[2]
Opened 16 March 2001
Tenants
Victoria Vikings, (AHL) (2001–present)
Melbourne United (NBL) (2002–present)
Melbourne Vixens (ANZ Championship) (2008–2011, 2013)
Melbourne Phoenix (CBT) (2001–2008)
Melbourne Kestrels (CBT) (2001–2008)
2006 Commonwealth Games

State Netball Hockey Centre (also known as the State Netball and Hockey Centre) is a multipurpose sporting facility located in Melbourne, Australia. It is a home arena of the Melbourne United basketball team of the National Basketball League and the Victorian Vikings hockey team of the Australian Hockey League. The facility is located in Royal Park, Parkville next to the Melbourne Zoo. The arena was opened on 16 March 2001,[3] and is run as a non-profit facility by the State Sport Centres Trust.[4] and consists of two outdoor hockey fields, four outdoor and five indoor netball courts.

History

The development of the State Netball Hockey center dates back to 1996 when the Royal Park Master Plan was prepared by the City of Melbourne. Under the plan the existing State Netball Centre would be demolished and integrated with the State Hockey Centre. The demolishing of the State Netball Centre along with a reduction in the number of outdoor courts enabled the reinstatement of parkland and playing fields. The plan also outlined improving amenities for all park users in conjunction with the development of the Centre, including improved roads, public transport and car parking.[5]

In May 1998 funding for the project at $24.5 million by the Community Support Fund was approved at development was officially announced by the State Government. In February 1999 a revised budget of $27 million was accepted after a tender process found that the previous budget was too small, even after reducing the scope of the project. The approval for the Centre was fast-tracked so significant progress would be made so the venue could be assessed by the 2006 Commonwealth Games Evaluations Panel in mid-1999.The redevelopment of the facilities began in March 1999 and was planned to be completed by April 2000.[5] Construction was completed in November 2000, and the facility was officially opened on 16 March 2001.[2]

The redevelopment of the Park had seen objections from interest groups. In May 1999 legal action commenced against the redevelopment of Royal Park on the grounds that the development was inconsistent with the purpose of the Crown land reservation. Another issue was raised after concerns over the effects of the exterior lights on the surround areas, including the Melbourne Zoo.[6]

Facilities

The Centre has 5 indoor netball courts including two in the main stadium along with 4 outdoor courts. The main stadium has permanent seating on three sides of the courts and retractable seating can be used (covering the second court) to increase the capacity to 3,000. The secondary hall can be configured for 250 spectators.[7] When the main stadium is configured for basketball it has a capacity of 3,500.[8]

The netball courts can be transformed to cater for basketball, volleyball, martial arts, concerts, indoor soccer and other indoor sports.

The centre has two “wet” hockey pitches with a grandstand between, providing seating for 1,000 spectators undercover on the main pitch and seating for 250 spectators on second pitch. The main pitch is surrounded by grassed seating areas which can accommodate temporary seating for up to 8,000 spectators.[1]

The hockey pitches can be transformed to cater for lacrosse, gridiron, soccer, touch football and other outdoor sports.

Netball

This arena has been used for professional netball since its opening. It has hosted the VNL, ANL, the defunct Commonwealth Bank Trophy and the ANZ Championship. Past tenants include the most highly successful team in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy, Melbourne Phoenix and the ANZ Championship team the Melbourne Vixens. The Vixens used the arena throughout 2008 to 2011 and also used it for the 2013 preliminary final.

Basketball

During the NBL season, the facility is used by Melbourne United (formerly the Melbourne Tigers) and is nicknamed 'The Cage'. The club made the Centre their home in 2002 due to financial trouble and the high costs of hiring their previous home, Vodafone Arena.[9]

With demand for tickets generally being more than the SNHC can hold, the decision was made in 2012 for the United to remain at the centre but move 7 of their 14 home games back to their previous home, now called Hisense Arena, in an attempt to take advantage of that arena's 10,500 capacity.

Commonwealth Games

For the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games the facility was used for all the hockey games and netball preliminary.[10]

Water conservation

As part of an initiative in conjunction with the Commonwealth Games in 2004 the Centre received a grant from the Smart Water Trust to recycle water from the hockey pitches and the roof structure. The recycled water substitutes for drinking water to water the hockey pitches and is expected to reduce water usage by 78%.[11]

References

  1. 1 2 "Capacity for hockey". Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games. www.melbourne2006.com.au. Retrieved 21 November 2006.
  2. 1 2 "Construction dates" (PDF). Department of Infrastructure. www.doi.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 21 November 2006.
  3. ↑ "Opening date of the Centre" (PDF). Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre. www.msac.com.au. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 October 2006. Retrieved 21 November 2006.
  4. ↑ "Non-profit status of Centre". official webpage. www.snhc.com.au. Archived from the original on 21 August 2006. Retrieved 21 November 2006.
  5. 1 2 "Royal Park Master Plan" (PDF). City Of Melbourne. www.melbourne.vic.gov.au. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 October 2006. Retrieved 21 November 2006.
  6. ↑ "Construction cost of Centre". Department for Victorian Communities. dvc.vic.gov.au. Archived from the original on 27 August 2006. Retrieved 21 November 2006.
  7. ↑ "Capacity for netball". official webpage. www.snhc.com.au. Archived from the original on 21 August 2006. Retrieved 21 November 2006.
  8. ↑ "Capacity for basketball". National Basketball League. www.nbl.com.au. Archived from the original on 15 November 2006. Retrieved 21 November 2006.
  9. ↑ "Melbourne Tigers move to SNHC". The Age (www.theage.com.au). 26 July 2002. Retrieved 20 November 2006.
  10. ↑ "Usage for Commonwealth Games". Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games. www.melbourne2006.com.au. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
  11. ↑ "Water Conservation plans". Smart Water Fund. http://www.smartwater.com.au/. Retrieved 21 November 2006. External link in |publisher= (help)

External links

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