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Patches Asphalt Park

About Our Home-ground..

Patches Asphalt Park (In the confines of Margaret Donohoe Sports Complex) is located on Queenbar Road, Karabar, in South Queanbeyan.

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The Tigers home ground was developed in the late seventies after a proposal was forwarded to the Queanbeyan City Council by the Club’s then President Len Peterson in 1972.

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Peterson arrived in Queanbeyan in 1971 from Western Australian and found the Club in a desperate situation.

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The Club had few committee members, very little community support and lacked numbers off the field in officials. It had very few quality players.

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Len joined the committee in addition to becoming the Tigers Reserve Grade Coach and President within a year of his involvement.​

He found that the small venue of the Queanbeyan Park – the Tigers home ground since the late thirties – was being scorned by the then named Canberra Australian Football League for its lack of facilities.

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Peterson submitted to the Queanbeyan City Council a proposal to construct a new ground in South Queanbeyan. Unfortunately, he had left Queanbeyan to live in Queensland by the time approval had been gained for its development. He passed away in 2009 at age 72 but not before he had visited the ground on a number of occasions to view his vision of a quality ground for a quality club.

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On relocation from the Queanbeyan Park to the Margaret Donoghoe Sportsground (named after a prominent former Alderman of the Queanbeyan City Council) the Tigers have played host to many and varied activities during any one year.

 

The Tigers Club have continued to develop the sporting venue and surrounding area into a boutique sporting ground with most facilities available that are required of a major sporting complex – respective to the competition it plays in.

Ongoing development​

The Club has funded the following areas since 1979:​

  • Fencing of the Sportsground both around the actual playing arena (twice) and the boundary fence which has fully enclosed the oval. The current arena white picket fence took ten years to complete and was funded through various family sponsorships, council assistance and a grant from the Tigers Licensed Club.

  • Construction of a roof over the grandstand

  • Constructed interchange boxes for home and visiting teams

  • Constructed coach's boxes for home and visiting teams plus timekeepers' box, press box and viewing platform for videoing of games.

  • Provided the complex with a PA System.

  • Built an Administration Building to house its Football Operations as well as providing two deck areas for members of its Growlers Club

  • Renovated the Canteen facilities on numerous occasions including the construction of a pergola area at the front of the canteen.

  • Built an area at the back of the grandstand for the purpose of a player’s gym.

  • Renovated the home team room’s showers.

  • Painted and carpeted all rooms within the complex

  • Provided the complex with lighting facilities

  • Built a temporary area to home the Tigers Growlers Club – it included an old shipping container. This has since been replaced.

  • Constructed three scoreboards since moving to the ground over thirty years ago

  • Construction of a pathway from the main car park to the grandstand to assist people with disabilities.

  • Formation of the Tigers Walk of Honour dedicated in the memory of Michael Haddock

  • Provision of a Tigers Premiership Flag display featuring a memorial to Dane Quade

  • Construction of BBQ area for match days

  • Provision of netting behind the bottom goals to stop balls being kicked over the fence into lower MDO. There has been two such provision as the first one blew down in gale force winds (and with the help of an advertising sign)

  • A major renovation of the grandstand and change room facility to provide a new visitors change room and showers, enhanced umpire’s change room, expanded canteen facility, expanded gym and increased storage.

  • Stage 1 of new security fencing installed at the bottom half of the oval around to the scoreboard.

  • Brand new Opposition change rooms built next to the current Grandstand that allows for both male and female facilities. The former opposition rooms renovated to become the stand-alone women's rooms.

  • New Solar Energy Panels installed on to the top of the Grandstand roof to assist with lowering power costs.

  • Completion of the security fencing around the venue.

  • Grandstand carpark hot sealed and marked.

  • The Legends Stand Growler Deck and Administration office fully renovated to allow for a more pleasant match day experience - included glass windows, new decking, shade sail, board room updates and air conditioning.

  • Brand new Yellow & Black seating installed in the grandstand.

  • New undercover and open seating installed around the venue.

  • Brand new state of the art AV Equipment installed in the players rooms. 

  • Upgraded Gym and warm up flooring in the players area.

  • Replacement electronic scoreboard installed.

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The ground is highly regarded and as of 2024 is now graded as an ELITE AFL Venue within the QPRC region and is also Ranked as the Number 2 facility within AFL Canberra.

 

Massive thanks and credit must go out to all involved with the Club over the years to getting the venue to this level. Also huge thanks to Queanbeyan / Palerang City Council who have and continue to provide excellent support in developing the ground and maintaining the facility as well as the various State and Federal Governments and AFL who have given funding support as to make this venue one of the prime sporting grounds in Queanbeyan.

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