Eureka Stadium (Mars Stadium)

[Tandy]

Sadly that big empty block is privately owned by property speculators who are sitting on the land waiting for the price to go up. It is private property. The Ballarat Council did offer them $4 million for it two years ago with a view to developing the land mainly for more sports fields. In particular to develop a new regional hockey centre and to allow for extension of the nearby basketball centre. There are plans to build a new car park off Howitt Street to compliment the new athletics centre. What the precinct desperately needs is the train platform over the road which the council and various key stakeholders in Ballarat have been advocating for since the stadium was first proposed. I would argue that the stadium needs better lighting and the train platform before it needs new grandstands. But what do I know? Back in 2015 the original long-term development plan was to build a large carpark on the eastern side of the rail line along Norman Street which would be about 600 metres walking distance to the stadium. That land is still all empty and there are no plans for any development along it at this point in time.

I totally agree that the stadium ought not be expanded in capacity until they sort out where and how all the patrons are going to park or come up with a better alternative means for them to get to and from the stadium (i.e. Trains).

That train platform would be a game changer too. I was really impressed on my first visit that Ballarat has this stadium and hopefully in the future they can make it a real feature walking from your car or train through the precinct.

 

[budge27]

Roogal what do you think of the design ?

Designs revealed for Mars Stadium upgrade

New renders have been revealed for the next stage of the Mars Stadium upgrade in Ballarat, with works set to continue despite the cancellation of the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

www.austadiums.com

 

[Roogal]

Roogal what do you think of the design ?

Designs revealed for Mars Stadium upgrade

New renders have been revealed for the next stage of the Mars Stadium upgrade in Ballarat, with works set to continue despite the cancellation of the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

www.austadiums.com

View attachment 1972065

I am not 100% sure whether they are quite appropriate for Ballarat. They will be very cold and exposed in Winter IMO. I didn't have a problem with the original Peddle Thorp designed stand on the Western side of the oval. With its cantilever roof design and geometric pattern back wall, it provides better cover from the rain and wind. The design of the new stands doesn't look that original to me. They are very reminiscent of Adelaide Oval.

I didn't at first understand why they have designed two stands side by side when one single large stand would have occupied a smaller area. I have thought this one through and looking at the diagram above I would say that it is done this way so that in the future the Eastern Stand can be easily modified to visually match the new pair and create symetry on the Eastern side of the ground if any future stadium expansion is to occur. Because of the split level design on the new stands, the design can be easily incorporated into any future addition of seating rows on the Eastern Stand and incorporate the same roof design above any seating additions.

It must be noted that the Western Stand on the other side of the oval was a compromise with its roof design from the beginning because it was not permtted to be too high as to cast a shadow over the houses immediately behind in White Avenue during the mornings. So the original design was significantly modified to have the cantilevered roof and rounded back. Accordingly, it was given a height limit of just 17 metres at its highest point, which is the roof line around the boundary.

It appears that the high points of the new roofs will be about 25 metres which may even allow for mounting of some additional ground lighting.

 

[From The Pocket]

I am not 100% sure whether they are quite appropriate for Ballarat. They will be very cold and exposed in Winter IMO. I didn't have a problem with the original Peddle Thorp designed stand on the Western side of the oval. With its cantilever roof design and geometric pattern back wall, it provides better cover from the rain and wind. The design of the new stands doesn't look that original to me. They are very reminiscent of Adelaide Oval.

Someone's definitely been in the Adelaide Oval western stands, surprised they didn't add some ivy vines at the back while they're at it.

 

[Roogal]

Two images showing differences Stage 1 (2017) and Stage 2 (2022):