ACT Deputy Chief Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith, Independent MLA Thomas Emerson, Eastlake Football Club president of football Aaron Bruce and representatives from construction company Projex turn the first sod at Kingston Oval. Photo: Jarryd Rowley.
The $1.1 million restoration work to Kingston Oval has officially begun after 25 years of lobbying from local AFL and cricket clubs.
Serving as the first part of the Kingston Oval masterplan, the works, to be carried out by construction company Projex, will improve the ground’s playing surface and irrigation, and add new lighting for late-night training and games.
Despite being considered the Eastlake Football Club’s (EFC) spiritual home ground, the oval hasn’t hosted a first-grade game for the club in decades due to deteriorating facilities.
Since the late 80s, EFC have instead played their top-level games at Phillip and Manuka Ovals.
In 2023, AFL NSW/ACT committed $400,000 to EFC to revitalise the ground. Now, combined with a $700,000 commitment from the ACT Government, EFC has officially moved forward with the ground’s upgrades, with an official sod-turning on Monday (7 September) morning.
EFC’s president of football, Aaron Bruce, said Kingston Oval holds a special place for the football club and the inner-south community, with the official commencement of works an exciting yet long-overdue milestone.
“We at the football club are celebrating our 100-year centenary celebrations across this year, and this facility has been a part of the fabric of our community and our organisation for that entire period of time,” he said.
“It has been a long time coming, and it’s been particularly challenging as football and the way that football is played, particularly with the rise of women’s football across the country, and in particular in the ACT, I think we’ve almost probably led the charge.
“Having the on-field playing surface improved is critical. It’s the first step in the masterplan, with the off-field facilities to come next. We’ll keep chipping away and do our best to make that happen.”
Mr Bruce said in an ideal world, barring poor weather, the playing surface will be complete ahead of the 2027 football season. Mr Bruce also thanked the ACT Government and AFL NSW/ACT for their commitments to the oval.
Independent MLA Thomas Emerson said the financial backing from the ACT Government will help restore a vital outdoor facility in a growing part of the city.
“This is such a unique opportunity for the inner south densifiers to have a ground that really plays its historic role not just for footy and cricket, but for the broader community,” he said.
“It’s a unique green space and one that the clubs are committed to maintaining public access to, which I think is really critical and makes it a stellar candidate for serious investment from both the community, from the sporting organisations, and from the government.
“This is a positive step being taken forward to bringing first-grade footy back to Kingston Oval, which has served as perhaps the longest continually used field here in the ACT.
ACT Deputy Chief Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said the ACT Government is committed to supporting the territory’s oldest sporting clubs and applauded the Eastlake Football Club’s service to the community over its 100-year history.
“Eastlake Football Club is one of those organisations that has helped build the Canberra that we know and love today,” she said.
“We need to ensure that the clubs like Eastlake have their grounds maintained, preserved and improved into the future.”
