Bob Jane Stadium

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(Redirected from Lake Oval)

The Bob Jane Stadium (also known as Lakeside Stadium) is a football (soccer) stadium in Albert Park, Melbourne, Australia. that currently serves as the home ground for the South Melbourne FC.

The stadium stands on the site of the former Lake Oval, home ground for the former Australian rules football club the South Melbourne Swans before the club relocated to Sydney in 1982. Construction of the current stadium took place in 1995 when South Melbourne FC was forced out of their old home at Middle Park to make way for the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit.

The stadium has a capacity of 14,000 people, which has been achieved or approached several times in South Melbourne's history at the ground. A grandstand with an approximate capacity of 3,000 people is situated on one side, with a social club, reception centre and administrative facilities built in, while the other 3 sides of the ground consist of open terraces with wooden seats.

As well as being the home of South Melbourne FC, the venue has also hosted games by the Socceroos^[1], Young Socceroos, Australia's national women's team the Matildas, and grand finals and finals matches of the Victorian Premier League

In May 2008 the State Government announced that Bob Jane Stadium would undergo a major redevelopment, in order to accommodate an athletics track, as part of moving Athleics Victoria from Olympic Park. The Victorian Institute of Sport, Athletics Victoria and South Melbourne FC would share tenancy of the venue, though no specific details have been made available.

[edit] Old Lake Oval Grandstand

old Lake Oval grandstand, unused and in a state of disrepair

A remnant of the old Lake Oval structure, a grandstand built in 1926, still remains standing between the stadium grandstand and the stadium's car park, but this is not used and has fallen into disrepair. Its continued existence remains the subject of debate, with South Melbourne FC having entertained ideas for its removal to allow further development of the stadium, while the Sydney Swans football club has showed interest in repurchasing it to be used as a museum and administrative building. Further complicating the future of the old stand and the venue itself, are plans by the Victorian Government, who have to install a running track at Bob Jane Stadium in an attempt to relocate Athletics Victoria away from its current base at Olympic Park.^[2]