West Tamar Council officially opened its $2 million redevelopment of Windsor Park on Saturday.
Mayor Christina Holmdahl said she was delighted to open the upgraded ground on behalf of the Council.
“It is well known that the benefits of sport are endless by creating healthier communities, building resilience, strength and cooperation,” Mayor Holmdahl said.
“Sporting facilities like this and the one we built at Legana provide the ability for members of our community – whether they’re part of a recognised team or not – to engage in improving not only their physical health, but their mental health as well, and facilities like these create positive outcomes for our community as a whole.
Originally constructed in 1968, Windsor Park has been home to the Launceston Football Club for more than half a century.
The Mayor will officially open the redevelopment on Saturday at 1.15pm, alongside Launceston Football Club president Scott Stephens and AFL Tasmania’s State Participation and Programs Manager Aaron Roberts prior to the Blues first home game on the new surface against Scottsdale.
Mayor Holmdahl said that the oval has been plagued with drainage issues for a number of years due to the poor condition of the playing surface, specifically over the winter months.
The redevelopment of the oval began in late 2024 with the purpose of delivering the best value playing surface in Northern Tasmania, and improved lighting in accordance with relevant Australian Standards and AFL Guidelines and with minimal environmental and stakeholder impact.
Civil works included the re-leveling of the oval surface, installing new drainage systems, sand slitting, irrigation, the establishment of a 100mm sand mattress, reseeding, as well as new perimeter fencing and improved lighting.
The redevelopment of Windsor is the second major sporting oval project the Council has completed in the past six months following the construction of the Legana oval adjacent to the new primary school.
Mayor Holmdahl said that while the total cost for this project is in the vicinity of $2 million, Council fully appreciates just how important these facilities are for our community.
“We are also very grateful for the assistance from AFL Tasmania, which has committed a $74,000 grant to assist council with this project,” Mayor Holmdahl said. “The rich history of this precinct underscores Windsor Park’s evolution from a football-focused ground to a modern, multi-sport precinct, adapting to community needs through significant investments and innovative maintenance.”