McDonald Reserve is already a popular place for structured and non-structured sport and recreation with tennis courts, oval and a popular place for dog walking. We are proposing to include at the site the following:

  • A hockey pitch
  • Additional tennis courts and dedicated pickleball courts
  • Open space and seating to continue to support soccer training and recreation
  • Sports lighting to suit both hockey and soccer
  • A new shared tennis and hockey pavilion and storage
  • Upgraded walking trails

The designs presented on this page are only ideas at this stage.

Following the design and consultation phase, there is currently no dedicated budget allocated for further stages of this project. Your feedback will be valuable in shaping the future of the reserve.

We will keep the community updated as funding opportunities are explored. Hit the +Follow button at the top of the page to receive emails as the project progresses.

In 2022 Council commissioned a feasibility study (refer to the documents section for the reports) to assess the potential for developing hockey facilities within the municipality to meet the growing interest, demand and participation in the sport. Council resolved to investigate a second site for a Hockey Pitch. The outcome of the feasibility study identified that McDonald Reserve was Identified as the preferred location.

The existing Hockey facilities at Brunswick Secondary College have two non-female friendly changerooms, no shower amenities or first aid room, or umpire facilities. There is no shade or seating available for the up to 200 spectators that attend matches. Parking is extremely limited. The existing single pitch is utilised every day for competition (March to October) and due to excess demand, teams have strict limitations on training times.

The study evaluated:

  • Current demand for the sport
  • Potential sites
  • Cost

A few locations were considered as part of this study. McDonald Reserve in Coburg was identified as the most appropriate site.

The key recommendation was to proceed with a detailed site assessment and then create a proposed design for community engagement.

The local sports clubs

  • Brunswick Hockey Club

    Brunswick Hockey Club has been operating for 101 years and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Merri-bek. The club has 35 teams and provides 2,000 hours of free hockey clinics to local students each year.

  • East Coburg Tennis Club

    Since 1935, East Coburg Tennis Club has offered a welcoming space for players of all ages. With a range of programs, 800 weekly participants, and 32 competitive teams, ECTC fosters skill-building, fitness, and community connection.

  • Brunswick Juventus Football Club

    Brunswick Juventus was registered as a Football Club in 1948 by immigrants within Melbourne’s northern suburbs. The club now hosts 38 Teams and 560 registered players of all ages, genders and skill-levels.

What is being proposed?

Proposed features

Click on the spots to see what features are being proposed in the new plan.

Please note this design is only conceptual. At this stage there is no dedicated budget for this project. Your feedback will help shape the future of the reserve.

An aerial view of McDonald Reserve with the proposed features illustrated on top. In the top right there is an oval with AFL, Soccer and Cricket line markings, In the bottom two thirds of the page from left to right are 2 synthetic tennis courts, 6 clay t

Comparison

Use the slider to compare McDonald Reserve now with what features are proposed in the masterplan.
Current layout: An aerial photo of McDonald Reserve as it looks now. There is an oval, a large area of lawn, 4 clay tennis courts and 2 synthetic tennis courts. Proposed layout: An aerial photograph of McDonald reserve with new facilities illustrated over it. There is now AFL, Socker and Cricket markings on the oval, a new hockey pitch next to a pavillion and pickleball court, as well as 6 new tennis courts. The large lawn area i

Join the conversation

Share your thoughts online

We want to understand how the community feels about the proposed hockey pitch and upgrades.

We have 3 key questions:

  • What amenities or features would you like to see included with the hockey field design to make the park more accessible and enjoyable for everyone?
  • Do you have any concerns about building a hockey field in McDonald Reserve?
  • Do you have any feedback, positive or negative, about the proposed design for the reserve?

Each of the questions is listed as a category you can select when posting your comments to our online noticeboard, below.

Our decision making framework

This diagram shows the process we follow when making decisions about our sportsground surfaces, based on our Sportsground Surface Policy. Click on the spots to learn more about each step. For this project we are at the Stakeholder and community engagement stage.

circular flowchart that shows the headings for each step of the decision making process

How can the community influence this project?

What can be influenced?

  • We want to understand how the community feels about inclusion of a hockey pitch and proposed upgrades.
  • Community feedback will help us refine and improve the concept design.

What can't be changed?

  • Council has determined that the only feasible location for the much needed hockey pitch is McDonald Reserve
  • Hockey can only be played on a synthetic pitch