Construction of a new state-of-the-art community sporting centre, incorporating the South Sydney Rabbitohs’ Community and High-Performance Centre at Heffron Park in Maroubra, is set to commence in mid-2021 following approval of a Development Application by the Sydney Eastern City Planning Panel in March.
The $58 million Heffron Centre will be built in Maroubra’s Heffron Park replacing the existing run-down 1940s buildings which currently house an Indoor Sports Centre and Gymnastics Centre.
The Heffron Centre will include:
- South Sydney Rabbitohs community and high-performance centre including facilities to support Souths Cares’ educational and community programs;
- A new indoor multi-purpose sports centre with two halls to accommodate sports such as netball, basketball, badminton, volleyball and indoor futsal; and
- A new dedicated gymnastics centre 33 per cent larger than the existing building with high quality amenities such as air conditioning, dedicated changerooms and bathrooms, office administration and parent / participant viewing areas.
The project is funded by State and Federal governments, Randwick City Council and the South Sydney Rabbitohs, and is designed to be a world-class new home for the Club and to significantly grow local participation in sport.
The building will be fully owned by Randwick City Council with lease arrangements in place to the South Sydney Rabbitohs and operators of the indoor sports centre and gymnastics centre.
The centre is designed to maximise natural light and ventilation to reduce the use of air conditioning and electricity. It includes rooftop solar panels, rainwater and stormwater collection, bicycle parking and charging infrastructure to ensure the highest quality environmental standards.
Blake SollyThe Heffron Centre will provide not only brilliant sporting facilities for men’s and women’s teams but it will also provide a platform for Souths Cares to increase the outstanding work they do in the community. It will allow us as a Club to further grow our connection with the people along the south-eastern beaches.
Randwick Mayor Danny Said explains the Heffron Centre will transform the western precinct of Heffron Park.
“This is an important investment in the health and wellbeing of our community. We have designed a facility which is adaptable to cater for the changing needs of our community.
“You don’t get an opportunity like this very often, to provide a state-of-the-art sporting facility and at the same time deliver social benefits, that tap into the proud and almost spiritual link the Rabbitohs have with our community,” explains Mayor Said.
Rabbitohs CEO Blake Solly is excited to see the next phase of the project take shape as we head towards completion of the Community and High Performance Centre.
“The Heffron Centre has been a long time in the planning and approval stages and it’s fantastic to see the development applications have been approved. We can all move forward to developing a site which Rabbitohs Members and supporters, as well as the local community and Randwick City Council, will be extremely proud of,” Mr Solly said.
“The Heffron Centre will provide not only brilliant sporting facilities for men’s and women’s teams but it will also provide a platform for Souths Cares to increase the outstanding work they do in the community. It will allow us as a Club to further grow our connection with the people along the south-eastern beaches.
“The plan is for us to be in the building and operating our football, commercial and administration programs by the end of 2022, well in time for the 2023 pre-season.
“The Rabbitohs Community and High-Performance Centre will include an NRL-standard field, full gymnasium, men’s and women’s changing rooms, Souths Cares classroom, video theatre, media production studio, merchandise outlet which will incorporate a Rabbitohs historical display and ‘Hall of Fame’-type installation, as well as a café.
“The facilities will be built for participants of other sports using Heffron Park as their base, as well as Members of the community who will have access to sections of the Community and High Performance Centre including the playing field, conference rooms and the Souths Cares classroom. These facilities will be fantastic and we can’t wait to be part of this activity hub within the local government area of Randwick Council in addition to our current base at Redfern.
We will keep our Members and supporters updated throughout the project as we now move from DA, through construction and onto completion.”
Randwick Council has called for expressions of interest for operators interested in running the gymnastics centre and indoor community sports centre components of the Heffron Centre.
A tender for the construction of the centre is expected to be released shortly by Council seeking applications from construction contractors to build the centre.
Subject to appointments, construction is anticipated to commence in mid-2021 and open in late 2022.
For more information on the Heffron Centre, please click here.
For FAQs regarding gymnastics and multi-purpose sports facilities, please click here.
