The new sports pavilion at Elsternwick Park Oval 2 was officially opened on 5 December 2019.
Providing outstanding new facilities, the $2.97 million redevelopment is the 8th pavilion to be upgraded as part of Council’s $52 million investment to improve all 27 sporting pavilions in Bayside by 2025.
Bayside Mayor, Cr Clarke Martin said the new pavilion symbolises a renewed level of accessibility for the sporting community in Bayside.
“The new pavilion is a major local community asset servicing Elsternwick and surrounding communities with world class amenities that are accessible for all,” he said.
“This upgrade is extremely important to the tenant clubs and wider community and Council is excited to see the positive impacts it will have on participation in sports.”
The new pavilion was designed by Centrum Architects and took just over ten months to build. The striking design is a clever reference to the German meaning of Elsternwick which translates to Magpie Village.
The unique façade is inspired by the form of a magpie’s nest structure while the colours and diagonal elements are inspired from the Elsternwick football club’s jersey.
The building provides a modern and adaptable facility for Elsternwick Cricket Club and the Elsternwick Amateur Football Club who have been joint tenants for more than 110 years.
In addition to the pavilion completion, the adjacent Oval 2 sportsground has also undergone a full upgrade with the oval being resurfaced and ground lighting added to further extend the hours of use during the winter months.
Council has resolved to re-name Elsternwick Park Oval 2 to now be known as the Holmes-Todd Oval, in recognition of two equally significant and respected club people – the late Barry Todd from the Elsternwick Cricket Club and the late Graham Holmes from the Elsternwick Amateur Football Club.
The new pavilion and oval now supports both clubs’ membership growth while encouraging the involvement of our community with sporting activities in Bayside.