On Wednesday, August 7, the much-anticipated grand opening of the Kilburn Sportsplex took place, marking a long-awaited milestone for the West Adelaide Soccer Club and the local community.
The event, which was attended by sports enthusiasts, community leaders, and loyal members and supporters of West Adelaide, was underscored by an exciting friendly match between West Adelaide and Adelaide United.
At the heart of the event was the official unveiling of the Kilburn Sportsplex, a state-of-the-art facility that promises to be a cornerstone for the community and club. The sportsplex boasts a new oval and modern grandstand. It includes a range of modern amenities, such as a fully equipped kitchen, bar area, and associated facilities, enhancing the experience for players, teams and supporters, and ensuring fundraisers and other events can now take place on the grounds.
John Tsianos, Chairman of West Adelaide SC, expressed his gratitude for all those who have supported the club on the long road to achieving the grounds opening, while also highlighting the future goals of the club.
“West Adelaide has a very long and proud history… It’s something that is close to very many people’s hearts. From the volunteers to the committee, to sponsors and suppliers, you have all played a role to get us to this point… and it is fantastic to finally have a home to call our own…” Mr Tsianos said.
“…The club is on an upwards trajectory, and we are looking towards the future. We feel that we now have the best facility in the State. There is a lot of hard work still to come. We are looking to invest heavily into our youth. We will be redeveloping our club rooms at junior facilities [Park 27B]. This, coupled with the investment into our youth, should see us in good stead, not just in the ensuring years but the future to come… Success for me is producing the next Socceroo or the next Matilda.”
South Australia’s Minister for Transport, Tom Koutsantonis MP, a long-time supporter of West Adelaide, addressed the crowd by thanking all the supporters and contributors who made the project possible, and by emphasising the community and cultural importance of the club.
“For many in this room, Hellas represents more than just football. It represents a bastion of the Greek community and all of us here are standing on the shoulders of giants. Migrants who came out to Australia with no English language [and] no money, yet worked hard. We built our churches, we built our schools, we built our community halls, and we built a place for our children to learn our national sports. That is what Hellas was. Today, all of you, and the volunteers who are here today, honour their memory…” Mr Koutsantonis said.
“This is where migrants congregated. We came together at football clubs, we had our successes and our failures together, it’s a place where we could speak to our friends in our native language and learn other languages. It was a great way to see our community grow and to become a part of our Australia community…
“… The club now has a home. It’s a new start and new beginning – it’s a game changer for this club and of course, it’s not only a testament to the current committee, but a testament to each committee member, volunteer, coach, player and support of this club since it began… and I see nothing but growth and success [for the future].”
As the clock struck 7pm, the much-anticipated match between West Adelaide and Adelaide United kicked off. The match served as the perfect inaugural event for the new sportsplex, bringing together two of South Australia’s prominent soccer clubs.
While the blow of the final whistle marked a West Adelaide defeat of 3-1 to Adelaide United, the atmosphere remained electric and cheerful.
The successful launch of the Kilburn Sportsplex represents not just the opening of a new facility, but an acknowledgement that the sportsplex will now serve as a permanent home for the club, facilitating its prosperity into the future.
