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 Interactive map of 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 |
| Opened | 1867; 158 years ago (1867) |
| Tenants | |
| Richmond Junior Football Club (YJFL) Richmond Union Cricket Club (ECA) Richmond Harriers Athletic Club | |
Citizens Park (formerlyMarket Reserve andRichmond City Reserve) is anAustralian rules football andcricket venue in theMelbourne suburb ofRichmond.[1] The name also refers to the wider public park in which the main oval is located.[2]
The ground hosted fourVictorian 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 theRichmond Town Hall and next toRichmond High School.[4][5]
As of 2025, it is home to theRichmond Junior Football Club in theYarra Junior Football League (YJFL), theRichmond Union Cricket Club in theEastern Cricket Association (ECA), and theRichmond Harriers Athletic Club.[6]
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] TheVaucluse Football Club changed its name to "Richmond City" in 1894, playing at the ground as a first-rate team in theVictorian Junior Football Association (VJFA).[11][12]
In1896, Richmond City Reserve hosted its first senior VFA match whenCarlton's match againstRichmond was moved fromUniversity Oval.[13][14] Thefollowing season in 1897, Richmond played three of its home games at the ground (with the rest atPunt Road Oval).[15][16]
TwoMetropolitan Junior Football Association (MJFA) clubs –Beverley andSt Ignatius – played home matches at Richmond City Reserve in1902, with the1904 MJFA Grand Final betweenPort Rovers andCollegians also hosted at the venue.[17][18] Other grand finals played at the ground included the VJFA in 1909 and theMelbourne District Football Association (MDFA) in 1914.[19][20]
By 1973, the ground had been renamed toCitizens Park and served as the home ground of theRichmond Junior Football Club, which played in theHawthorn Districts Junior Football League (HDJFL) until entering the newly-formedYarra Junior Football League (YJFL) in 1996.[21][22]
TheJack Dyer Pavilion, named after Richmond footballerJack Dyer, was opened byRichmond mayor Ern Boland on 31 July 1943.[23] The pavilion was redeveloped at a cost of approximatelyA$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]