The Hockey lights were erected on Friday 14 July 2023.

The light towers are approximately 30 metres tall. The lights will now be positioned to achieve the average lux required across the field. Electrical inspection and sign off will then follow. The electrical contractor expects to have all the electrical works completed by the end of this month.

Framing of the new Pavilion is starting to take shape -

Notice of Road Closure

Wallace Street, Bairnsdale - between Taylor Street and Bredt Street

Friday 14 July 2023, 7:30 am to 5:00 pm

Wallace Street, Bairnsdale - between Taylor Street and Bredt Street - will be closed on Friday 14 July 2023, from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm to undertake lighting installation works at the WORLD Sporting Precinct.

The road closure will ensure the safety of community and contractors and ensure the work is able to be completed as quickly as possible.

Visitors to the area are asked to observe the construction signage and any directions from the contractor during the works. Thank you for your patience and understanding while we undertake these necessary works.

The Hockey lights are scheduled to be erected on Friday 14 July 2023. Please note the section of Wallace Street near these works will be closed to the public during the installation.

Following erection of the lights, further works are required to position the lights to achieve the average lux required across the field. Electrical inspection and sign off will then follow. The electrical contractor expects to have all the electrical works completed by the end of this month.

Hockey

Saturday 6 May 2023 saw the first hockey matches played on the synthetic field ️🏑

The majority of the WORLD site remains a construction area. All visitors are asked to observe construction site signage and any directions from the contractor including following traffic management direction in the precinct during the works.

Other key information:

• Portable toilets have been installed as an interim measure for hockey clubs’ use during game days.
• The turf (grass) field is not ready for use. Electricity is required before we can finalise the irrigation system.
• Temporary change rooms and amenities have arrived on site, and we are working on getting electricity connected before these can be used.
• Permanent pavilion construction starts in the coming weeks.
• Hockey lighting will be installed soon.

Netball

Work on the netball courts is progressing well. Handrails, lighting, marshal building, carpark and seating are on the go, and we will continue to work with the @Bairnsdale Netball Association on court availability date … it won’t be long!

We are working with our Federal and State Government funding partners and both the netball and hockey associations in planning a soft opening in the coming months when both user groups are using the site.

ROAD CLOSURE NOTIFICATION

Wallace street, Bairnsdale

Wallace Street, Bairnsdale, between McKean Street and Bredt Street will be closed on 28 April 2023 and from 2-3 May 2023, 9.30 am to 2.30 pm in order to undertake works.

East Gippsland Shire Council apologises for any inconvenience that may be caused.

Should you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact Mal Langskaill, Coordinator Project Delivery, on 03 5153 9500.

Sairam Jegatheeswaran

Manager Capital Projects and Plant

WORLD Sporting development construction progress and outlook

Progress and timeframes are subject to weather conditions and supply chain:

• Synthetic hockey pitch installed.
• Grass pitch installation is complete. Irrigation is running off temporary power supply and controls pending AusNet site energisation and MSB installation. 1 final (additional) topdress is to be completed in February.
• Hockey spine and player shelters are in progress. Concrete paving 70% complete. Player shelter foundations poured, steel frame erected. cladding and furniture to follow.
• Hockey lights - foundations 95% complete. Awaiting delivery of poles.
• Final seal coat to the entry road and southern lane of the carpark completed (excluding line marking).
• Netball concrete work complete. Perimeter paving, seating, and access ramp complete. The curing period is in progress, acrylic surfacing to be completed in March/April.
• Netball player shelters in progress - foundations and site erection of structure complete. Cladding and furniture to follow.
• Netball marshall building foundations are complete. Council has completed steel and timber framing. Glazing installation commenced.
• Planning Permit Amendment received. Awaiting FFG permit (relates to additional native vegetation removal for the netball drainage swale).
• Pedestrian boardwalks, drainage detention pond, and connection progress continue to be impacted by wet conditions at the outflow point. To be completed post handover of courts. Also potentially impacted by EPBC referral mitigation requirements.
• The WORLD pavilion appointed contractor was not able to complete the contract and has been formally released from the Project by EGSC. New Contractor procurement/engagement process is in progress.
• Council is arranging temporary amenities for netball and hockey for use in the gap between playing surface completion and pavilion completion.
• Soccer precinct - progress on the soccer stages of this development awaits Federal Government approvals from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) per the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC). The EPBC referral was formally accepted by the department on 15th September. The referral is now in the decision phase. Additional information has been requested (RFI). Consultant engaged and progressing response to RFI including completion of additional site assessments undertaken in January 23. The project expectation is that the decision will be a "Controlled Action". More information about this process is available on request.
• Meeting with GLaWAC scheduled for February to review and monitor project progress on fulfilling Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) commitments.
• Council officer has commenced facility management and use planning and engagement with stakeholders for operational committee(s)

Construction Packages 1 & 2 (Cranes) are progressing toward a February 2023 completion. It is anticipated that the grass hockey pitch will be open during summer holidays.

The synthetic hockey pitch and netball courts surfacing will be completed by February 2023. The project supervisor is awaiting permanent power energisation advice from AusNet (forecast by the end of the year).

The WORLD Sporting Precinct project is now approaching one year since construction commenced (July 2021). The second half of 2021 was particularly challenging due to restrictions on workforce sizes, supply chain issues and material shortages as a result of the pandemic and related health orders. In addition, significant and consistent rainfall events in the second half of the year hampered civil construction efforts. Despite these challenges our CP1 contractor responsible for the new carpark and hockey fields (Cranes Asphalting) has persevered with a great milestone achieved at the end of March seeing access to the new carpark south of Westdale Kindergarten being opened for kindergarten use. With the new access point for the kindergarten up and running, we were able to commence site works on the new netball courts and parking area - also executed by Cranes Asphalting as our CP2 contractor with demolition works commenced for the old courts and carparking. The main demolition work with waste material hauling off site (for recycling and reuse as base material) will be completed by the middle of May. Inground services installation will follow, preceding large concrete pours for the new netball courts.

The hockey pitch work has been steadily progressing. Upgrades to the pitch installations (a synthetic surface to one pitch and improved drainage design to the grass pitch) are being managed and will yield even better outcomes for the community in the completed facility.

The third contract recently awarded by Council is for the WORLD pavilion which will service both hockey and netball. These works (CP3) will be undertaken by Allmore Constructions. Allmore is in the process of arranging the building permit and onboarding sub-contract trades. The pad preparation for the new pavilion is in progress, entailing the relocation of existing in ground services so that we keep the kindergarten up and running.

Our contractors are working hard to complete the three awarded construction contracts covering the pavilion, netball and hockey playing surfaces by the end of 2022, allowing for a summer opening of these facilities. Access will be available to the community through both organised sport and casual use. In addition, the existing paths around the wetlands will be reopened including links to new walking paths throughout the precinct.

The soccer precinct in the southern section of the site will include two pitches and a pavilion similar to the WORLD pavilion. The area where the field and pavilion will be built is currently undergoing Federal Government environmental approvals under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC). Council is awaiting an initial assessment from the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE), which will clarify timeframes for the broader approvals process.