Designs released for Adelaide Football Club grounds in Thebarton

The new $100 million multi-purpose Adelaide Football Club grounds at Thebarton Oval and Kings Reserve will serve as a training facility and in-season match location for the club, as well as a place for community to gather.

The facility, designed by City Collective, will form part of a wider community and sporting precinct. The Adelaide Football Club women's team will play onsite matches during game season and both teams will partake in training programs across two sporting fields - Thebarton Oval and a second to be developed in Kings Reserve.

Under the proposal, Thebarton Oval will be reoriented and the heritage grand stand and ticket booth will be retained and upgraded in line with heritage guidelines.

A new Training and Administration Facility (TAF) has been proposed to wrap the eastern side of Thebarton Oval and house indoor training spaces, change rooms, offices, aquatic facilities and game-day support areas. TAF will also function as a destination for public use with the introduction of a cafe, a museum, a function space, and a retail shop - all accessible by a plaza space and lobby.

The proposal reveals Kings Reserve would be transformed to improve access to Thebarton Oval. As part of the reserve's upgrade, new pedestrian and cycling paths would be established between Ashwin Parade and Ashley Street, landscaping works undertaken, improved lighting and permanent fencing removed.

The planning documents state the vision for the project is to create a dynamic, "vibrant, inclusive and harmonious space where community and sports seamlessly coexist." The project's guiding principles, as identified in the consultation phase, include a strong precinct identity, quality facilities and spaces, a ground that accommodates a wide variety of activities, improvement of precinct amenity with integration of urban and climate resilient spaces, safe access to the facility and linkages to the remainder of the precinct.

On 19 December 2023, the City of West Torrens Council approved Adelaide Football Club's (AFC) Thebarton Oval Precinct Masterplan. The football club has now lodged plans with the State Commission Assessment Panel (SCAP) to develop the Thebarton site. The proposal is now on exhibition for public comment.