Anonymous
Years ago

Old Forrestville Stadium

Does the old forrestville stadium still stand? If not, I assume housing has replaced it. What street was it on?

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Libertine
Years ago

Geez, wouldn't want to live there!!!!! Train station right on top of your house!

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oldfellow
Years ago

pulled down years ago, but i think there may be a skateboard ramp set up on part of the land. it was located where the tram crossed over the train line at goodwood.

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Anonymous
Years ago

The old stadium was demolished a few years ago owing to its position. There was no actual road to the stadium so if there was a fire it would have been extremely difficult to access. The stadium was built soon after WW2 as basketball was introduced by the Americans and I believe part of the money raised to build the stadium came from those returned Soldiers. There was a lot of memorabilia in the stadium from clubs that used it before it was demolished ie old club logo's like Glenelg tigers (Southern Tigers) etc. Unfortunately nothing was saved. The old South Adelaide logo was saved by cutting it from the wall and now is on display at Marion Stadium

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Anonymous
Years ago

what about the old Athol Park Sports Centre?

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Mix Master Wipe
Years ago

Great old stadium...well court 1 anyway!
I remember being late to my first game because it was set a fair way back from Leader street.
In later years i parked on on the other side of the stadium and walked under the rail bride to enter.
I also remember fu#%ing my ankle up on court 2 !!

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Coach K
Years ago

Nothing was 'saved'. are you serious? lots of memorabilia was 'saved' or given to people who had a fair bit to do with the place. I know lots of people who have artifacts from the stadium, me included.

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hereschenes
Years ago

View Larger Map

Old Forrestville stadium was accessed from here, off Ethel Street. Court 2 was gnarly - the wall from court 1 came right up to the sideline of court 2.

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guess
Years ago

Does anyone have any pictures of the stadium they could post?

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pete
Years ago

Great stadium, like all great stadiums in this state demolished for some financial reason or another. Used to love Court 1, the canteen straight across from the court as well as all the seating right up to the back of the stadium and all the club logos painted near these seats. I'd often sit on the bench in the early 90s as a junior and look at these logos and wonder why I'd never heard of some of these clubs (eg. glenelg tigers). I was a Woody junior/senior and still think basketball went down hill and the culutre of the club changed when beautiful Athol Park was demolished for a new stadium?????????. Sure we got the powerhouse, sure Forrestville got Wayville, sure Sturt got Pasendena aftyer being burned down, but some great times, memories and tradition from those stadiums that won't be replaced.

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Anonymous
Years ago

I have very fond memories of the old stadium. Playing my first match (grand final) as a church club junior on the hallowed court 1. Playing and training at the stadium as a South junior in the days when all clubs played and trained there - junior matches on Friday night and Saturday morning when there were only 2 divisions in each age group and boys only - girls played "seven a-side". And of course the radio broadcasts of District Men's Basketball on Thursday nights.

I also remember when courts 2 and 3 were cement surfaces and court 2 had the old style rounded back boards - replaced eventually by a wooden floor and square backboards. As someone else said very "gnarly".

The floor surface and glass backboards of court 1 were still the best i've ever played on !!

I spent a large portion of my younger years at the old stadium - 1960's and 70's when basketball was purely amateur, and fantastic. Some great players emerged from that era - unfortunately not me :-)

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hereschenes
Years ago

Great post anon. Thanks for sharing. I'm obviously a little younger than you, but I likewise have very fond memories of the place. The sound of feet trampling on the floorboards and whistles reverberating around there and Athol Park at finals time still sends shivers down my spine!

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Camel 31
Years ago

Yes , I seem to recall, also playing my first game there, in the early 60s. Church u14 final,
on court 1 !
Later - I played some district juniors on court 3, and the girls played on court 2 - without much spare room, on the side.
While Werner, Dancis, Ahmatt were playing on court 1.
Later, doing a bit of training and a few games there, with South.
Some good memories..........

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TP
Years ago

I saw my first ABA game at the old stadium, Forestville vs South. Also played a lot of games there for district & church ball. I loved court one, such a great atmosphere, especially in a grand final. I don't think there is a stadium in SA today that has that same vibe.

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Anonymous
Years ago

At Wayville there are some pictures of the stadium hanging up in the bar area if you want to take a look.

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Anonymous
Years ago

I also remember seeing the last District Men's grand final played at Forestville stadium between long time rivals South and West and then the first grand final at the new Apollo stadium, again between South and West - both won by South Adelaide as I recall :-)

The atmosphere at a Foretville stadium grand final was absolutely electric and absolutely packed to the rafters !! It only held about 1200 people I think.

Does anyone remember the old Bowden Stadium ???
I have many memories of that place too.

Anon from above :-)

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Camel 31
Years ago

Living here (next door to the Dome), it was easier to get to Bowden (and St Clair)and that was a bit of fun playing there. A good standard, as a lot of players couldn't be bothered to go out to Forrestville to train, and played 4-5 games a week closer to where they lived. A lotta district players had a game at Bowden against us.

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Anonymous
Years ago

I used to love court 2 when you played team you didnt like that wall was great to hammer people into

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Hoops

Old Forrestville Stadium

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