Citizens Park, Richmond

Citizens Park

Former names	Market Reserve Richmond City Reserve
Address	Gleadell St and Highett St
Location	Richmond, Victoria
Coordinates	37°49′00″S145°00′03″E / 37.816738580396816°S 145.00074378338982°E / -37.816738580396816; 145.00074378338982
Owner	City of Yarra
Capacity	500
Tenants
Richmond Junior Football Club (YJFL) Richmond Union Cricket Club (ECA) Richmond Harriers Athletic Club

Citizens Park (formerly Market Reserve and Richmond City Reserve) is an Australian rules football and cricket venue in the Melbourne suburb of Richmond. ^[1] The name also refers to the wider public park in which the main oval is located. ^[2]

The ground hosted four Victorian Football Association (VFA) matches in the 1890s and was regularly used for junior competitions throughout the first half of the 20th century. ^[a] It is located behind the Richmond Town Hall and next to Richmond High School. ^{[4] [5]}

As of 2025, it is home to the Richmond Junior Football Club in the Yarra Junior Football League (YJFL), the Richmond Union Cricket Club in the Eastern Cricket Association (ECA), and the Richmond Harriers Athletic Club. ^[6]

History

Market Reserve was established around 1867 and opened as a public market (present-day Gleadell Street Market) in 1873. ^{[7] [8]} It was developed in 1893 and renamed to Richmond City Reserve. ^{[9] [10]} The Vaucluse Football Club changed its name to "Richmond City" in 1894, playing at the ground as a first-rate team in the Victorian Junior Football Association (VJFA). ^{[11] [12]}

In 1896, Richmond City Reserve hosted its first senior VFA match when Carlton's match against Richmond was moved from University Oval. ^{[13] [14]} The following season in 1897, Richmond played three of its home games at the ground (with the rest at Punt Road Oval). ^{[15] [16]}

Two Metropolitan Junior Football Association (MJFA) clubs – Beverley and St Ignatius – played home matches at Richmond City Reserve in 1902, with the 1904 MJFA Grand Final between Port Rovers and Collegians hosted at the venue. ^{[17] [18]} Other grand finals played at the ground included the VJFA in 1909 and the Melbourne District Football Association (MDFA)in 1914. ^{[19] [20]}

By 1973, the ground had been renamed to Citizens Park and served as the home ground of the Richmond Junior Football Club, which played in the Hawthorn Districts Junior Football League (HDJFL) until entering the newly-formed Yarra Junior Football League (YJFL) in 1996. ^{[21] [22]}

The Jack Dyer Pavilion, named after Richmond footballer Jack Dyer, was built at the ground in the 1940s. ^[23] The pavilion was redeveloped at a cost of approximately A$3 million and reopened on 28 May 2022. ^{[24] [25]} In addition to upgraded clubrooms, the pavilion also features a community room available for public hire. ^{[26] [27]}

Notes

1. At the time, the term "junior" was used to describe open age football of a lower standard than senior football, rather than under age football. ^[3]

References

1. Rhodes, Brendan (18 April 2022). "VFL Rd4: Bullants sting Swans as Borough finally wins again". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 19 April 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
2. "Richmond City Reserve, Richmond". Hidden Footy Histories. Archived from the original on 5 October 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
3. Gigacz, Andrew (5 June 2023). "Still snarling: 140 years on". Western Bulldogs. Archived from the original on 4 June 2025. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
4. "RICHMOND TOWN HALL PRECINCT" (PDF). City of Yarra. July 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 October 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
5. "Putting the 'high' into Richmond High School". RBS Building Surveyors. 23 May 2017. Archived from the original on 16 March 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
6. "Citizens Park to undergo turf improvement works". City of Yarra. 4 September 2025. Archived from the original on 5 October 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
7. "RICHMOND". The Argus. 15 March 1867. p. 7. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
8. Webb, Carolyn (7 October 2023). "Gleeful about Gleadell: Egg man steps down but is still up for a chat". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 5 January 2024. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
9. "RICHMOND". The Argus. 27 January 1872. p. 7. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
10. "1893 Chronology". Tigerland Archive. Archived from the original on 9 August 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
11. "1894 Chronology". Tigerland Archive. Archived from the original on 9 August 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
12. "1919 Seconds scores". Tigerland Archive. Archived from the original on 10 August 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
13. "Carlton v Richmond". The VFA Project. 19 September 1896. Archived from the original on 26 September 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
14. "1896". Blueseum. Archived from the original on 8 June 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
15. "1897 VFA Premiership Season". Australian Football. Archived from the original on 5 October 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
16. Greenberg, Tony (28 July 2020). "Tigerland's briefest break uncovered". Richmond Football Club. Archived from the original on 5 October 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
17. "WON BY THE COLLEGIANS". The Age. 12 September 1904. p. 9. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
18. "PORT ROVERS v. COLLEGIANS". Port Melbourne Standard. 17 September 1904. p. 4. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
19. "VICTORIAN JUNIOR ASSOCIATION". The Argus. 6 September 1909. p. 5. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
20. "BRUNSWICK PREMIERS". The Brunswick and Coburg Leader. 5 September 1919. p. 4. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
21. "History of RJFC & Annual Reviews". Richmond Junior Football Club. Archived from the original on 5 October 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
22. "Richmond Junior Football Club celebrate 50-year milestone". Yarra Junior Football League. 7 August 2023. Archived from the original on 7 April 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
23. "Annual Report 2021/22" (PDF). City of Yarra. April 2024. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 October 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
24. Chandler, Troy (30 July 2019). "Plans confirmed for renovation of clubrooms". Richmond Junior Football Club. Archived from the original on 5 October 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
25. Denton, Jenny (31 May 2022). "New Jack Dyer pavilion at Citizens Park celebrated at official opening". Inner East Review. Archived from the original on 5 October 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
26. "Jack Dyer Community Room". City of Yarra. Archived from the original on 4 August 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
27. "The Park". City of Yarra. Archived from the original on 13 July 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2025.