Knox Park upgrades officially underway
Published Fri 25 Aug 2023
The temporary fences are up and construction is around the corner for Knox Park’s Multi-use Sports Park, which is beginning extension renovations this August.
It is the next step in a highly anticipated plan for Knox Park, which changed classification from ‘reserve’ to ‘sportsground’ following community consultation in June 2018.
The upgrades, which cost in excess of $2.5 million, include a new 400m grass athletics track on an irrigated oval, new throw and jump facilities, which will include synthetic run ups in the future, and an update to the current playground.
Pictured: Knox Park overall layout plan.
The multi-use sports park will also feature a shelter with barbeque and seating, a priority site connecting footpath, priority landscaping and tree planting, fencing around the oval, a storage shed, a public toilet with disability access and services connections such as: stormwater, water and electricity.
Southern Athletics Club President Jason Stevens has been a key voice behind the push for an upgrade at Knox Park, and believes it will have a sizeable impact on the club and local community.
“For the club it’s about bringing our people together so that they can train on the same venue,” said Stevens.
“When we get in there we will be able to add more community programmes for health and fitness.
“That will be able to get more people engaged with running and general fitness.”
Whilst construction is only just beginning, the plans for a Knox Park overhaul have been around for a long time, with discussions first being held in 2017.
“It hasn’t been a quick process,” said Stevens.
“It takes a while to get that level of funding. It took more time than we realised it would take, but it’s just the way it goes.”
The anticipated finish date for the project is mid-2024, and will provide the Southern Athletics Club with a highly sought after home base for its members.
“For us it’s going to be great to have that home ground,” said Stevens, a former State Champion in the decathlon, who has been a member of the club since the age of thirteen.
“We don’t have anywhere where we can put up a board that has member’s achievements and stuff like that.
“Having a home ground means that when they need to get a uniform they can come to the club and don’t have to organise to meet someone at a training session somewhere to pick it up.
“That sort of a sense of home will be really good for the club.”
Southern Little Athletics are also hopping on board, and whilst the new upgrades have an anticipated completion date of mid-2024, there are already plans for further updates in the future.
“The longer term plans are for lighting and synthetic areas that cater for throwing and jumping events,” said Stevens.
“We will have equipment to cater for everything except pole vault.”
“Eventually we will have pole vault it’s just a case of showing council that it’s going to be successful and how we really need synthetic run ups.”
For more information on the Knox Park Multi-use Sports Park development, visit the link below.
Athletics SA also encourages supporting the Southern AC who are ramping up their fundraising in preparation for their move to the first athletic facility in the southern metropolitan region of Adelaide.
Join the Gatsby themed quiz night at Emmaus Catholic School in Woodcroft on Saturday 9 September 2023 6:30 PM - 11:00 PM. Don't forget to prepare your outfits too, as there will be a prize for the Best Dressed table.
Funds raised from the ticket sales and evening will go toward equipment and facilities. Find out more and buy tickets via the links below.
Written by Tyler Maund.
