Aurora Stadium | |
File:Sport Ground Launnie.jpg | |
Location | Launceston, Tasmania |
---|---|
Owner | Launceston City Council |
Operator | AFL Tasmania |
Capacity | 20,000 |
Field size | 175 x 145 m |
Surface | Grass |
Construction | |
Broke ground | 1919 |
Opened | 1921 |
Construction cost | Unknown |
Architect | Various |
Tenants | |
Tasmanian Devils Football Club (VFL) (2001-2008) Hawthorn Hawks (AFL) (2001-present) North Launceston Football Club (NTFL) (unknown-present) |
York Park, known as Aurora Stadium since 2004, under a six year naming-rights sponsorship deal with Aurora Energy, is an Australian Rules Football ground located in the Inveresk and York Park Precinct, Launceston. It is the largest capacity stadium in Tasmania, holding 20,000.[1]
The ground has been used as an international sports venue since 2001. Before then it was used for North Launceston Football Club games and the occasional state game. To get it up to standard for Australian Football League matches, the ground has had a series of re-developments totaling over AU$20 million.
From 2001 Hawthorn Football Club has played at least two matches a year at the ground, and St Kilda Football Club played two matches every year from 2003-2006. The Tasmanian government has a AU$16.4 million, five year sponsorship deal with Hawthorn, that includes four home and away season games and one National Australia Bank Cup pre-season match to played at the venue each year.
History
The area now known as York Park was originally swampland, and later a landfill[2] before becoming the Launceston Showgrounds in 1873. In the 1880s the area became a public recreational park and was named 'York Park' in honour of the Duke of York (later to become King George V), who visited Tasmania during the Federation celebrations of 1901. In 1919, work began to convert the park to a multi-purpose sports field.[2] York Park was formally opened on January 1 1921,[3] with the Northern Stand completed four years later.[2] Since 1923 the ground has hosted first-class Australian rules football. Other sports played in the park precinct in the years since establishment have included cricket, tennis, bowling, cycling and foot-racing.[3] The ground's entrance gates and Northern Stand have been recognised as being culturally significant to the state of Tasmania and have been recorded on the Tasmanian Heritage Register.[4]
As late as 1998, York Park remained a suburban sports ground, where, according to ground manager Robert Groenewegen, supporters were able to "park [their] car next to the boundary fence".[3]
Before the 1998 federal election, Bass MP Warwick Smith made a re-election promise to fund the re-development of York Park. Although Smith failed to win his seat, the promise was upheld by the federal Liberal government.[3] Completed in 2000, this was the first major development to bring the ground up to AFL standards. This included the construction of the Gunns Stand - a two-level grandstand that originally had a capacity of 2,500 (currently 6,000) and also included corporate facilities,[5] as well as five television standard light towers.[6][7]
Because of large crowds, it was announced that the Government would spend $2 million in roofing for an additional 6,000 seats, resulting in almost the entire seated capacity of the ground being protected from weather.[8] During 2006 the Tasmanian Government supplied AU$150 thousand for new gates and ticket boxes at the entry to the stadium. It was announced the gates would be named after recently deceased Premier Jim Bacon.[9]
A deliberately lit fire destroyed part of the heritage-listed Northern Stand during March 2008. Damage was estimated at AU$500,000. The insurance payout from the fire may be used to determine whether the venue is expanded.[10] Ground manager Robert Groenewegen has suggested that the capacity could be increased to around 24,000 by replacing the old Northern Stand, at an estimated cost of AU$10 million.[5] An alternate AU$10 million grandstand proposal, is to include 2,125 undercover seats, more corporate suites and improved change room facilities, was made public in October 2008.[11]
Structures and facilities
The interior of York Park is an oval bowl with several different stands. The largest is the two tier Gunns Stand located on the Western side of the ground. The stand originally had a capacity of just 2,500, but after a 2005 extension the stands capacity is now 6,000. The AU$12.5 million Gunns stand now has two corporate box areas; the Gunns Function Centre and the Corporate Function Centre.[12][13] Immediately north of the Gunns Stand is the Aurora Function Centre that houses coaches boxes and also a Function Centre. Inside the Function Centre is many of North Launceston's premierships and memorabilia. The heritage listed Northern Stand, next to Function Centre, was partly destroyed by a deliberately lit fire during the early hours of 30 March 2008. Ground re-development plans suggest that the undamaged section of the roof could be re-located to the neighbouring Inveresk Park to accommodate a new grandstand. The Northern Terrace, Southern Terrace and Eastern (Launceston Tamar Valley) Terrace stands are similar stands that surround approximately half the ground have a capacity of around 6,000. The Northern and Southern terraces are positioned behind the goals at either end of the ground. The Railway Workers Hill is a small, uncovered stand located at the eastern side of the ground, in between the Northern Terrace and Eastern Terrace. It's named after the North Launceston Football Club who were originally named the Railway Football Club.
One of the first stages of the ground re-development was the construction of five Template:M to ft, 1400 lux (units of illumination) television standard light towers. Around the perimeter of the ground are many temporary food and retail stalls that are used on game day. As of June 2008, more than AU$20 million has been spent re-developing the stadium. The Tasmanian Government has spent a total of AU$14 million, AFL AU$600,000, with the Launceston City Council paying the remainder.[5]
Northern Stand Re-development
The Launceston City Council has lodged a development application to the Federal Government’s Strategic Projects program, for a new Northern Stand, after fire damaged part of the original Heritage listed Northern Stand. The project is to be developed in two stages. Stage one will be worth AU$5.5 million and will include relocating the Northern Stand's heritage roof, to be incorporated into part of the redevelopment of facilities at Invermay Park. The removed Northern Stand will be replaced with a new grandstand accomodating 2,125 spectators. The stand will also include corporate boxes and official areas for about 800 people, with new change rooms to be built at the rear end of the stand. Tasmanian Sports Minister Michelle O'Byrne has said the AFL would be asked to contribute to any further developments at the ground. Plans of the new stand can be publicly viewed until 9 January, 2009.[14][15] Stage 2 includes an elite training area and offices for a possible future Tasmanian AFL team or A League soccer team; and a sport development area associated with the University of Tasmania and the Tasmanian Institute of Sport. The projected cost of stage 2 is estimated at AU$4.2 million.[14][16]
Hall of Fame
In 2005, the Tasmanian Community Fund provided a AU$50,000 grant to assist AFL Tasmania and the Launceston City Council establish a permanent Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame facility at York Park.[17] The physical location of the Hall of Fame at York Park was selected as the site had recently been developed and is positioned as the "true home of Tasmanian football."[17] AFL Tasmania has initiated the Hall of Fame nomination process, with a number of clubs, players and grounds nominated and accepted into the Hall of Fame since 2005.[18] Planning and work on the physical Hall of Fame at York Park has not yet begun.
Events
Australian rules football
Australian rules football is the primary sport played at the stadium. The ground is the long time home of North Launceston Football Club and as a result, hosts regular Northern Tasmanian Football League and Northern Tasmanian Football Association matches.
The stadium has hosted AFL games regularly since 2001, when the Government of Tasmania started paying interstate clubs to relocate their home games. Hawthorn played a season game in 2001, increasing to two games in 2002 and joined by St Kilda in 2003. In 2004 it was estimated that each game cost the government between AU$300,000 and AU$500,000 but Premier Jim Bacon stated that the Government was getting a good return on its investment, with each game being worth between AU$1 million and AU$1.5 million to the Tasmanian economy.[19][20]
The number of matches played reached its peak in 2006, when Hawthorn played three home games and a pre-season game, and St Kilda played two home games. The games drew consistently good crowds, with the 2006 premiership games drawing an average of 17,108 and a record crowd of 20,971 for the Hawthorn vs Richmond match.[6] The ground also hosted some Tasmanian Devils Football Club home games in the Victorian Football League from 2001 until their demise in 2008.
2007 saw the beginning of a five-year, AU$16.4 million sponsorship agreement between Hawthorn and the Government of Tasmania which saw the state government become the club's primary sponsor, and Hawthorn playing five matches a year (one pre-season and four premiership games) at York Park.[21][22] Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett has expressed interest in seeing his club play higher profile clubs such as Collingwood at the stadium.[5]
York Park was the location of the 2006 AFL siren controversy, a bizarre incident which occurred at a St Kilda Saints versus Fremantle Dockers match in April 2006. Fremantle was a point in front when the siren to end the game sounded during a stoppage for a ball-up, but the umpire in charge of the ball at the time did not hear the siren, and carried on play despite the reactions of the Fremantle players around him. According to the laws of the game, the game has not ended until the umpire acknowledges the siren by raising both hands in the air, and that the siren should be sounded by the timekeepers until the umpire acknowledges. What followed was a farcical situation where play continued for approximately six seconds, St. Kilda levelling the scores in that period, that score being cancelled when a St. Kilda player was felled after the ball was kicked, earning a free kick, from which a behind was scored, levelling the scores anyway. After a protest the AFL commission convened and overturned the result, awarding Fremantle the game.
The sirens have since been replaced, with the old "quiet" sirens to be displayed at the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery in the future.[23]
Football
The stadium has hosted one National Soccer League game and three A-League pre-season games. The first national league match at the stadium occurred when Melbourne Knights and Perth Glory played a 2001-02 NSL season match in front of a crowd of over 5000.[24] In July 2006, the stadium hosted Tasmania's first A-League match when Melbourne Victory and Adelaide United played there in the pre-season competition. The fixture was repeated in 2007 with 8,061 people attending and again played in 2008. This time the crowd was much smaller mainly because of cold and wet conditions and the running of the Launceston Ten.[25]
Inveresk Precinct Authority chairman Robin McKendrick has stated that ground authorities are attempting to draw Socceroos matches to York Park.[26]
Other events
During past years the stadium has hosted an Ike & Tina Turner concert and also a Billy Graham evangelical performance.[3] After the grounds main re-development it hosted a game in the 2003 Rugby World Cup between Romania and Namibia in front of a crowd of 15,457. It is still the only international rugby game to be played at the ground. The Crusty Demons performed at the ground during 2006 and again in March 2008. Elton John performed, during his end of year 2007 Rocket Man Solo Tour, in what is his only Tasmanian appearance.[27]
Record crowds
Season | Average |
---|---|
2008 | 17,528 |
2007 | 17,403 |
2006 | 17,108 |
2005 | 15,772 |
2004 | 16,615 |
2003 | 16,707 |
2002 | 16,589 |
2001 | 17,460 |
Total | 16,867 |
The record attendance for York Park is 20,971 for an AFL match between Hawthorn Hawks v Richmond Tigers on 18 June 2006. Safety restrictions have since been put into place and with the Northern Stand being partly destroyed by fire in March 2008 the ground can now only accommodate approximately 20,000. The largest crowd since, was 19,929 for an AFL match between Hawthorn Hawks and the Brisbane Lions on 9 August 2008. The lowest attendance for an AFL match was 12,465 on 3 April 2005.[28]
The record attendance for a sport other than AFL was 15,457 when Romania played Namibia on 30 October during the 2003 Rugby World Cup. The highest attendance for a soccer match was approximately 8,061, when Melbourne Victory played Adelaide United on 16 July during the 2007 A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup match.[29] The 15,000 who saw Elton John perform during his Rocket Man Solo Tour on 8 December 2007 was the record crowd for a non-sporting event.[30]
Transport
York Park is only a 15-20 minute walk north of the Launceston City Centre.[31] The ground has a parking capacity of approximately 2,500 thanks to large grassy areas at the Inveresk site next door. There is also an option of street parking.[32]
References
- ^ "Tasmanian Stadiums". Retrieved 2008-12-17.
- ^ a b c "Tasmanian Stadiums - York Park". Retrieved 2008-12-31.
- ^ a b c d e "The making of Tassie's biggest sports icon". The Examiner. 2006-09-03. Retrieved 2008-08-10.
- ^ Tasmanian Heritage Register. "York Park Entrance Gates and Grandstand". Retrieved 2008-12-31.
- ^ a b c d "No takers on $10m stadium expansion plan". The Examiner. 2008-06-03. Retrieved 2008-06-11.
- ^ a b "Austadiums.com - Aurora Stadium". Retrieved 2008-06-09.
- ^ "Aurora Stadium - Map". Retrieved 2008-06-11.
- ^ "Council welcomes York Park seating boost". ABC News. 2003-04-07. Retrieved 2008-06-09.
- ^ "York Park gates to be named after Bacon". ABC News. 2006-08-16. Retrieved 2008-06-09.
- ^ "Bigger Aurora Stadium planned". The Mercury. 2008-06-03. Retrieved 2008-06-09.
- ^ "Council approves Master Plan for Northern Stand". Launceston City Council. 2008-10-13. Retrieved 2008-11-03.
- ^ "Aurora Stadium - Event Hospitality". Aurora Stadium. Retrieved 2008-06-11.
- ^ "Projects". Engineering Solutions Tasmania. 2005. Retrieved 2008-05-12.
- ^ a b "Aurora Stadium plan expected by Christmas". Launceston Times. 2008-11-04. Retrieved 2008-11-15.
- ^ "Aurora Stadium Upgrade" (PDF). Launceston City Council. 2008-12-19. Retrieved 2008-12-23.
- ^ "Council approves Master Plan for Northern Stand". Launceston City Council. 2008-10-13. Retrieved 2008-11-15.
- ^ a b "Tasmanian Community Support Fund" (Press release). Sporting Pulse. 2008-03-08. Retrieved 2008-12-31.
- ^ AFL Tasmania. "Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame". Retrieved 2008-12-31.
- ^ "Tas footing big bill for York Park match". ABC News. 2004-06-10. Retrieved 2008-06-10.
- ^ "York Park kicking goals for Tas economy". ABC News. 2003-09-24. Retrieved 2008-06-10.
- ^ "Hawks confirm Tasmanian deal". The Age. 2006-09-01. Retrieved 2008-06-10.
- ^ "Lifeline to the big time". ABC (Australia). 2006-09-04. Retrieved 2008-06-10.
- ^ "Aurora Stadium - Sirengate". Retrieved 2008-06-13.
- ^ "NSL 2001-02, Round 20". Ozfootball.net. Retrieved 2008-06-10.
- ^ "Football spreads its reach". A-League website. 2008-05-02. Retrieved 2008-06-10.
- ^ "Socceroos could play at Aurora". The Examiner. 2007-07-21. Retrieved 2008-06-11.
- ^ "Elton thrills 15,000 fans". Mercury. Retrieved 2008-08-28.
- ^ "Best Crowds/Worst Crowds". stats league. Retrieved 2008-12-22.
- ^ "Tasmania Reviews". Elton John News. Retrieved 2008-12-22.
- ^ "Google Maps - Aurora Stadium". Google Maps. Retrieved 2008-12-22.
- ^ "Technical Information". Aurora Stadium. Retrieved 2008-12-22.