Newcastle International Hockey Centre Upgrade

Since it opened in 1990, Newcastle International Hockey Centre has occupied a prominent site in suburban Newcastle, but it has provided superior facilities to hockey players across a much wider area.  It has been the home of many hockey teams, and has hosted many major tournaments, including international events.

The Centre is managed by professional full-time staff, under the governance of a voluntary board, which is passionate about hockey.

Late in 2016, the Centre secured a $10m grant from the Hunter Infrastructure and Investment Fund, administered by the NSW government, for a major upgrade of its Broadmeadow facilities.  The grant was to cover the full cost of developing the facility, including the design and approvals process, which got underway once the grant had been announced.  Tenders for the building work were subsequently called early in 2018.

Graph was one of several tenderers who priced the job in April 2018, but tenders were all well over budget.  Graph’s tender was $11.9m and the Centre elected to engage Graph to deliver the project on a design and construct basis, as long as the cost (including the re-design cost) would not exceed $8.75m.  This was achieved by a minor reduction in scope, by the re-design of the structural system for the buildings, the re-design of the civil works, and by changing some selections.  The revised works were the subject of a S4.55 application to Newcastle Council to modify the development consent, which delayed re-pricing of the project until April 2020, two years after the initial tenders.  Graph’s new price was $8,488,223, and the work was completed for that price.  The project involved:

• new Building A, comprising function facilities complete with bar and kitchen, amenities and change rooms, and a pro-shop and offices, located between the eastern and western playing fields;
• new Building B, comprising fairly similar facilities, but on a smaller scale and located next to the southern playing field;
• refurbishment of the Tournament Facility Building;
• tiered seating to the playing fields;
• new car parking and drainage system;
• renovation of the dug-outs and a new maintenance building;
• new LED lighting to the fields, and the upgrading of services to the site.

Since the grant was announced in 2016, the Centre has always been focused on maximising the value of the fixed amount allocated in the grant.  They are delighted with their new facilities, and the “value for money” which has been delivered.