Erskineville Oval: Difference between revisions

'''Erskineville Oval''' is a sporting venue in [[Erskineville, New South Wales|Erskineville]], [[Sydney]], [[New South Wales]], [[Australia]]. Originally developed and opened in 1885 as Macdonaldtown Park, it was later renamed in 1892 to its current form with the municipality name change of the local government body. At approximately a capacity of 5000 spectators, previously 2000<ref>{{Cite web|title=Erskineville Oval {{!}} Austadiums|url=https://www.austadiums.com/stadiums/stadiums.php?id=284|website=www.austadiums.com|access-date=2020-04-24}}</ref> Erskineville Oval was formerly an AFL venue as of 1903 when the NSW Australian Football League was founded. From 1913, the ground become a rugby venue as well, in which it has since hosted professional teams such as [[Newtown Jets|Newtown]] and the [[South Sydney Rabbitohs]].

Newtown club (established 1908) used it as the home for its first grade side from 1913 to 1954 before they moved training venues to their now home ground [[Henson Park]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=History of Erskineville Oval - City of Sydney|url=https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/learn/archives-history/sydneys-history/people-and-places/park-histories/erskineville-oval|website=www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au|date=27 October 2016 |language=en|access-date=2020-04-20}}</ref> In this period, the Newtown club won two premierships competing in the NSW Rugby Football League. This was achieved in 1933 and 1943 where both games were played at the [[Sydney Cricket Ground]]. This move was due to the Metters field being repeatedly reported as too hard to play on as well as lacking the sufficient facilities for the team and supporters. As such, Newtown were moved to Erskineville Oval which provided more reasonable resources. The club later moved permanently to [[Henson Park]] in 1954 as Erskineville Oval could no longer provide adequate crowd amenities for the club's supporters. The last ever first grade rugby league match to be played at the ground was on 26 March 1954. In the game, Newtown played against Canterbury-Bankstown. Newtown won the match 16–13.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/venues/erskineville-oval/results.html | title=Erskineville Oval - Results - Rugby League Project }}</ref>

From 1932, the ground was used as the main ground in Sydney for [[baseball]] which was played in the summer.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16932333 |title=ERSKINEVILLE OVAL SECURED. |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |issue=29,605 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=22 November 1932 |accessdate=28 September 2022 |page=12 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

In 1937, Erskineville Oval was subject to renovation by the council under the NSW Government's Erskineville Rehousing Scheme. The park was temporarily taken over by the council during the length of the project. This plan included the implementation of multiple flats and the instalment of the Lady Gowrie child care facility. Both additions were built upon the oval and in the surrounding Erskineville neighbourhood. The housing scheme constructed during this time is one of the only housing projects conducted during the [[Interwar period|inter-war period]]. It is also the only project undertaken by the Housing Improvement Board in this time.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Erskineville Estate Heritage Conservation Area {{!}} NSW Environment, Energy and Science|url=https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/heritageapp/ViewHeritageItemDetails.aspx?ID=2435710|website=www.environment.nsw.gov.au|access-date=2020-05-27}}</ref> After the completion of the project in 1940, the oval was reconstructed.<ref>{{Cite web|title=History of Erskineville Oval - City of Sydney|url=https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/learn/archives-history/sydneys-history/people-and-places/park-histories/erskineville-oval|website=www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au|date=27 October 2016 |language=en|access-date=2020-04-21}}</ref>

The completion of the Erskineville Rehousing Scheme resulted in the implementation of Fox Avenue, a street that intersected through the previous land of Erskineville Oval, creating two separate land entities. This newly separated piece of land bordered by Fox Avenue and Swanson Street was later named Harry Nobel Reserve in 1960.<ref>{{Cite web|title=History of Harry Noble Reserve - City of Sydney|url=https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/learn/archives-history/sydneys-history/people-and-places/park-histories/harry-noble-reserve|website=www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au|date=27 March 2013 |language=en|access-date=2020-04-21}}</ref>

Harry Nobel Reserve was originally part of Erskineville Oval prior to 1937 in which a rehousing scheme resulted in the renovation of the area. Officially reopened in 1938, the region now contained two separate parks split by the newly formed Fox Avenue. The main region bounded by Mitchell Road remained as Erskineville Oval but it wasn't until 1960 that the park bordered by Elliott Avenue was officially named Harry Nobel Reserve. This was done in honour of Harry Nobel, an Alexandria alderman and state parliament member for Redfern who had died in 1949.<ref>{{Cite web|title=History of Harry Noble Reserve - City of Sydney|url=https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/learn/archives-history/sydneys-history/people-and-places/park-histories/harry-noble-reserve|website=www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au|date=27 March 2013 |language=en|access-date=2020-04-23}}</ref>