Warrnambool's sporting community will ring in the new year celebrating the news that Reid Oval will be ready for use on January 1 after its $10.7 million revamp.
Reid Oval project group chair Cr Debbie Arnott said she was counting down the days to the first cricket match at the state-of-the-art facility.
The redevelopment includes a completely new playing surface with a clay cricket wicket, a modern two-storey pavilion, a lighting upgrade to allow for games to be played at night and better training facilities, including multi-purpose cricket nets and a training oval to the north-east of the main ground.
Cr Arnott said that the sporting community had been united in its call for Reid Oval to become a showcase facility that the city could be proud of.
"And I'm happy that by January, Reid Oval will once again be the jewel in the city's sporting crown," she said.
Cr Arnott said that while a firm date had never been set, several months ago they had hoped to have the ground ready for the start of cricket season but the centre of the oval has been too wet for the clay wicket to be prepared.
"I think we can all agree that the extra weeks we give the wicket to settle in will be absolutely worth it, leading to a surface that's cherry ripe for a big second half of the cricket season," Cr Arnott said.
"What better way to celebrate the New Year than a cricket match on what will be an exquisite playing surface, with modern facilities to match."
The Reid Oval Redevelopment has been jointed funded by the Victorian Government the city council, the AFL and Cricket Victoria.
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Katrina Lovell
Katrina Lovell is a senior journalist at The Standard who covers council news and human interest stories.
Katrina Lovell is a senior journalist at The Standard who covers council news and human interest stories.
