Current Status
Following its cessation as a venue for AFL football, the stadium fell into a state of disrepair, and anticipating complete demolition, the National Trust of Victoria moved quickly to nominate the members' stand for heritage listing on the basis that the stadium was the first major stadium purpose built for Australian rules football, that it hosted the 1991 AFL Grand Final, and that the members' (or K.G. Luke) stand features a mural of football legends by artist Harold Freedman.
Successful lobbying saw Heritage Victoria grant legislative protection to the site and, beginning in December 2002, the stadium was demolished except for the members' stand and the members' stand mural. The surrounding parking lot has been replaced by suburban housing, including 1400 new dwellings for 3500 people. The members' stand is visible from the nearby Monash Freeway, however due to new noise walls being installed on the freeway alignment, the stand's visibility from the freeway has been significantly reduced.
The oval itself and the remaining section of the members stand have been redeveloped into a state-of-the-art training and administrative facility for the Hawthorn Football Club and the local community. The facility incorporates an MCG-dimension oval, the size of the playing arena having been reduced from its original size, and includes a 25 metre heated indoor swimming pool, four refrigerated ice tanks, a gymnasium with a 60 metre running track and a warm-up area with projection and screen facilities to simulate match-day conditions. The grandstand has seating for around 2000 patrons with the seating in the top level of the grandstand having been retained.
Read more about this topic: Waverley Park
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