By Luke Voogt
Work on the fifth and final stage of the Kardinia Park redevelopment will begin after the AFL season, with state government announcing the project’s builder today.
Construction firm BESIX Watpac will build the $142 million state-funded project, which will support more than 120 construction jobs, according to government.
At the heart of the redevelopment is a 14,000-person two-tier northern stand to replace the Ford Stand and the Ablett Terrace, increasing the stadium’s capacity to more than 40,000.
The new stand will feature facilities for professional and community sport, including unisex change rooms, and administration facilities for Geelong Cricket Club.
The redevelopment will also include a new northern entry plaza, a sports museum, a function room and a suite of technology upgrades including high-speed public Wi-Fi and LED signage.
The plans include dedicated sustainability measures such as solar panels on the roof of the new grandstand and provision for battery storage.
State government expects the works to be complete by mid-2023.
Its Local Jobs First policy requires a minimum 91 per cent local content for declared strategic projects such as Kardinia Park stage five.
Apprentices, trainees and cadets will perform at least 10 per cent of all work, and at least $1.2 million in goods and services must be procured from social enterprises, under state government’s Major Project Skills Guarantee.
Previous stages of the redevelopment include the Brownlow, Players, Premiership and Reg Hickey stands.
The final stage brings investment by state and federal governments and other organisations in the stadium since 2003 to almost a third of a billion dollars.
“Continued investment has meant that Kardinia Park has not only kept abreast of global trends, but it is also setting the pace,” Kardinia Park Stadium Trust chair Stephen Gough said.
“We can’t wait for the final piece of the redevelopment jigsaw to fall into place so we can provide an even better experience for fans and other users of this highly-adaptable stadium.”
