Ted Summerton Reserve (TSR) is now home to the recently completed $3.5 million Gippsland Regional Cricket Centre (GRCC), setting a new standard for regional cricketing facilities.
The centre was officially opened on 17 December, 2019 by Latrobe City Mayor Dan Clancey and Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing.
The state-of-the-art facility features:
- Five lanes of indoor synthetic training wickets with extended run ups
- 1000 Lux LED lighting
- Cutting edge training and coaching technology
- Enclosed outdoor training wickets with retractable netting and a storage facility
- An auxiliary building complete with a community meeting room
- Office and administration space
- Unisex change facilities and a first aid room.
Cricket Victoria (CV) staff will be based at the centre which will receive year-round multipurpose use across a host of indoor sports including futsal, netball and other community activities.
The project created local jobs with Traralgon based Langden Constructions leading the design and construct works, JJC Design heading design works and a range of local sub-contractors also engaged.
The excitement continued at the venue on 22 December, 2019 when the Melbourne Stars returned for their second Big Bash League appearance in Moe with victory over the Hobart Hurricanes.
The finishing touches are now being applied; five speed cameras to track bowling pace and a scoreboard for indoor cricket are currently being sourced for the fit out.
CV staff will soon be moving in to the office space at their new Gippsland home, forming an operations base for the game across the region.
Early access to the centre opened to user groups on 10 February, 2020 with the LVDCA country week side having first crack at training in the GRCC.
At 10am on 26 February, 2020 public bookings will be go live for cricketers of all ages and abilities to make use of the nets and bowling machines at the brand new centre of excellence.
The ongoing fit-out of speed cameras, scoreboards and batting and bowling motion capture technology will gradually enhance the scope of training opportunities at the site over the course of 2020.
Children’s parties, school clinics and meeting rooms are also available for bookings.
All enquires for use of the Gippsland Regional Cricket Centre can be made by emailing GRCC@latrobe.vic.gov.au or phoning (03) 5135 8592.
This project was funded by the Victorian Government via $3 million from the Latrobe Valley Authority’s $85 million sports and community initiative and $500,000 from Sport and Recreation Victoria’s Community Cricket Program supported by Cricket Australia and Cricket Victoria.
A Project Reference Group consisting of local stakeholders was instrumental in planning for the project.
Latrobe City Council would like to acknowledge Gippsland Water’s donation of public use drinking fountains at the Ted Summerton Reserve. Access to free and fresh drinking water promotes good health and wellbeing practices in our community.