Sports and Aquatic Centre Expansion
Sydney Uni Sport and Fitness (SUSF) has a proud tradition for providing high quality sport and recreational facilities on the Camperdown/Darlington campus.
The University's partnership with SUSF is essential in the continued development of these facilities.
Outdoor sporting activities are located in the north-west area of the Camperdown campus, centred on Ovals Number 1 and 2 while activities requiring indoor sporting facilities are located on the Darlington Campus, off City Road in the Noel Martin Sports and Aquatic Centre.
Campus Infrastructure and Services and SUSF are working together on two major construction projects to provide state of the art sports facilities:
- the Sydney University Sports Hall and Aquatic facility (Darlington Campus)
- the Grandstand Project (Camperdown Campus)
These two projects will greatly improve on the current facilities provided by the SUSF and ensure that we offer world class sporting facilities to staff, students and the local community.
Sports and Aquatic Centre upgrade
Sports Hall (Stage One) View from Abercrombie Street (Click here to enlarge)
The centre is located within the Darlington Campus of the University, off Rose Street. The development is proposed as an addition to the existing sports centre.
The existing Noel Martin Sports and Aquatic Centre is currently home to:
- a 50m, heated indoor swimming pool
- six synthetic grass tennis courts
- squash courts
- sports hall
- modern fitness equipment
- group fitness studio and health assessment
- cycle Studio
- cafe
The proposed centre expansion development will be completed in two stages.
Stage one includes the demolition of an existing building used for the storage of chemicals and the construction of a sports hall. Associated amenities will include two basketball courts, group fitness studio, boxing gym and a combat sports area.
Stage two includes the construction and use of a water polo pool as a second stage of the development and site landscaping.
Stage One
The Sports Hall will accommodate a variety of court sports, primarily basketball. The hall has the capacity to accommodate two basketball courts, one being a show court which is framed by 750 permanent raked seats located on the south side of the court and the capacity for 750 retractable seats on the north side.
Other facilities include accommodation for various University Clubs including Boxing and Dojo, as well as a program space designed for group fitness activities.
The access and address to the Sports Hall remains the existing entry to the Sports & Aquatic Centre, and the Sports Hall is an ‘expansion’ of these existing facilities. Access to the building is directly from the existing foyer, achieved through the removal of a squash court.
Stage Two
The Pool Pavilion represents stage two of the expansion to the facilities provided by the SUSF. The project proposes a 20m x 25m pool. The primary usage of the pool will be water-polo, 25m lap training and learn to swim.
The aquatic program will complement the program within the existing aquatic facility and will include change facilities, storage and a wet deck office space.
The pool pavilion will directly adjoin the Stage One development. The roof to the pool pavilion will resolve the scale of the overall development to the scale of terrace dwellings on Abercrombie Street.
It is also modelled to invite direct north sunlight into the pavilion, captive breezes and act as a wind scoop for natural ventilation.
Sustainability
Sustainability initiatives being investigated include:
- natural ventilation and mechanically assisted natural ventilation to the basketball courts
- efficient, reverse cycle air conditioning to the group fitness room, controlled via CO2 monitors to ensure the air conditioning only operates when the room is occupied.
- high efficiency lighting throughout
- multiple lighting stages to the basketball court to reduce energy consumption
- movement sensor control of lighting
- solar boosted gas hot water.
Find out further information about sustainability at the University.
Traffic
The peak operation times for the Sydney Uni Sports and Aquatic Centre will be weekday evenings, Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoon for infrequent high profile matches that take place three or four times a year.
The peak for the proposed development will not coincide with surrounding area peak times. Furthermore, the peak traffic generating event currently occurs within the existing development and not all projected traffic generation will be additional traffic in the area.
Parking
The development makes provision for loading and unloading of vehicles, but does not provide additional parking.
Parking restrictions will remain in place in the surrounding residential streets, ensuring non local drivers will not park in the area. A limited number of mobility. parking spaces will be available next to the centre.
THE GRANDSTAND
The Grandstand Project is located on the North West side of the Camperdown campus, centering on ovals Number 1 and 2. The development will provide a higher standard of facilities for players and spectators through a new grandstand and cricket training facilities.
View from Western Avenue
Overview of the work included in the Grandstand Project includes the following:
- demolition and site works at Oval Two
- construction of a grandstand with undercover seating for 1500 and associated amenities including player change rooms, medical facilities for players, warm-up room, and a canteen
- construction and use of a function centre with seating for up to 300 on level one of the grandstand
- construction and use of an indoor cricket facility within the grandstand
- adjustments to Oval Two grounds to reposition the cricket oval
- site landscaping