It has the capacity to hold two million litres of water (2 megalitres) and will be one of the most important infrastructure projects that underpins the Western Sydney Wanderers Centre of Football (COF) in Blacktown.
After several months of preparation, workers are close to completing a colossal water tank that will service the entire, stunning multi-million dollar complex, the first stage of which was officially opened in September 2019.
Considering the drought and the previous low level of the dams in the Sydney catchment, the water tank installation, which is expected to be completed later this month, will help make the COF environmentally friendly and sustainable.
Water from the grandstands that will be directed to the tank and two other water tanks (including a 1.5 megalitre tank) that are already in use at the complex will be used to service the nine fields as well as the surrounds.
Facts and figures around the construction work on the site of the tank:
- The excavation hole is approximately 32 metres in diameter and the concrete poured to the floor of the tank is approximately 182m3
- Total concrete used for construction of the tank is 450m3
- Depth of hole is nearly 6m with a depth of 2.5m into the bed rock
- The water source is capturing and recycling the excess from irrigation system & along with rain water from a portion of the playing fields, rainfall from the structures (such as Academy building, grandstand roof & storage sheds) rain water catchment from the pavement and landscaped areas
- Approximate total of catchment area will be 25,000m2
Work on the entire site has been progressing well and, once completed, will make the Wanderers Centre of Football one of the best training and academy facilities in Australian sport.
A product of the vision of the Wanderers ownership group, Paul Lederer, Glenn Duncan and Jefferson Cheng, Director David Slade and CEO John Tsatsimas, it will house the Wanderers A-League, W-League, National Youth League and National Premier League teams, the club’s juniors teams and the boys and girls academies.
Wanderers CEO John Tsatsimas said the club was creating a sustainable property for Western Sydney football.
“With Sydney still managing water restrictions, our approach to ensure we have a sustainable option for preparing our fields is imperative and with our access to water onsite now largely self-sustainable this is an important step,” said Tsatsimas.
“The Wanderers have had fantastic support from Blacktown Council on this project and our partner’s Landscape Solutions are doing a great job completing Stage 2 including the Academy facility and water tank construction as well as the preparation of our new playing fields.
“The club’s playing group has enjoyed the benefits of the new complex this season. Some of the overseas players have suggested it is one of the best training facilities they have experienced. We have passionate owners to thank for this and it will be a gamechanger for football in this country longterm.”
But, the COF is not just about football.
The Wanderers are strongly committed to the values of the community in the region and, as such, the centre will provide:
- A focus on body image; mental health; obesity and healthy eating
- Programs for Seniors and the elderly;
- Migration settlement, activity and inclusion programs for CALD community across Western Sydney;
- Indigenous community engagement and participation activity and pathway opportunity;
- All-abilities football participation and activity;
- Host international teams and youth tournaments primarily using the Wanderers football network across the Asian regional and other key markets.
