Hawthorn Football Club Kennedy Community Centre

The Kennedy Community Centre, developed for the Hawthorn Football Club, is an innovative community hub that combines elite sports facilities with vibrant and accessible public spaces. Located in Dingley Village, the centre serves as the new headquarters for the club and a central destination for community wellness, sports and events, reflecting Hawthorn’s commitment to excellence in football and meaningful local engagement.

A key focus of the project is the support and empowerment of the club’s AFLW program. The centre includes a full sized AFLW match oval with spectator seating and broadcast capability, along with equal high performance training environments for both the women’s and men’s teams. The word class facilities include an indoor training hall, a high performance gym, aquatic recovery areas, physiotherapy and medical suites, and a dedicated AFLW game day hub. These spaces have been designed to provide women athletes with the same quality of preparation, performance support and professional environment as their male counterparts.

Beyond elite sport, the Kennedy Community Centre has been designed to welcome and serve the broader community. Multi use community rooms, education and learning spaces, wellness areas and recreational zones are integrated throughout, encouraging participation across all ages, abilities and pathways. The centre is intended not only as a home for Hawthorn players and staff, but as a place where families, students, local clubs and supporters can gather, learn and belong.

Environmentally sustainable design principles underpin the project, with careful consideration given to energy efficiency, water conservation and natural landscaping to enhance and respect the surrounding environment. The Kennedy Community Centre stands as a long term investment in community health, sporting development and connection, and as a clear expression of Hawthorn Football Club’s vision to create a lasting, inclusive and positive legacy for Dingley Village and beyond.

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