Tullamarine opened its doors to two new brand icons last week when Essendon footballers and paralympians were handed the keys to their new $26 million training and elite performance centre on Melrose Drive.
Victoria’s Sport and Recreation Minister, Hugh Delahunty, and Melbourne Airport chief executive Chris Woodruff hosted a public open day welcome to the True Value Solar Centre at Melbourne airport, with Essendon Football Club chairman Paul Little describing the project as “a bold vision”.
Little said that after nearly 90 years at Windy Hill, the relocation gave Essendon the chance to embrace a new era, having lost its coach and team doctor amid the club’s drugs-in-sport fracas.
Australian Paralympic Committee (APC)president Greg Hartung said the partnership with the Bombers would significantly improve the development pathways for paralympic athletes and opportunities for people with disabilities to take part in sport.
“As well as providing a new home for the APC’s Victorian administration, it will become a base for our camps, training, classification and talent identification,” Hartung said.
The new high performance centre includes two AFL ovals and medical, education and administration facilities for both footballers and paralympians. Essendon Football Club provided $14 million towards the development, the AFL $4.75 million, the federal government $6 million, and the Victorian government $1.8 million.
