Sparkling new turf Rabbitohs will be proud to call home

An artist's impression, released by the City of Sydney Council, shows how Redfern Park will look after the council invests $19 million in its upgrade.

The planned revamp has not been without controversy - last year, the former South Sydney president George Piggins fought Sydney's Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, over her refusal to make the park the Rabbitohs' home ground for matches.

He wanted a grandstand that could accommodate at least 12,000 spectators, but Cr Moore's vision of a training facility combined with community parklands prevailed. Under the plans drawn up by architects Bligh Voller Nield, the new stand will accommodate 1500 people with a further 3500 able to sit on the grassed terraces that surround the playing field.

The turf will be relaid to meet elite sporting requirements and a retractable fence built around the ground. Cr Moore said the field would also be used by local juniors, community, school and sporting teams, and that the plan offered the best of both worlds for Redfern locals and Souths.

One of Souths owners, Peter Holmes a Court, said the Rabbitohs, who played first-grade matches there between 1948 and 1996, would be proud to call the new Redfern Park their home and training ground. The draft plans for Redfern Park will be presented to a Souths board meeting tomorrow, before going to the council's environment and heritage committee on Monday.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/league/sparkling-new-turf-rabbitohs-will-be-proud-to-call-home/2006/07/26/1153816251774.html

Council Documents referred to can be found at Environment and Heritage Committee