EASTERN Oval is one step closer to housing night football with four new light towers raised at the arena yesterday.
Now they just need power.
Illumination is likely to be complete by late this month, with venue tenant East Point hoping to play its second home game under lights in round four.
East Point president Alan Dennis said the $216,000 project required a major power upgrade at Eastern Oval, and workers were waiting on approval to proceed.
The Kangaroos' round one MECU Ballarat Football League match was penned in for a twilight grand final re-match against Redan.
They will instead meet in daylight, in a stand-alone showdown to launch the season on April 10.
Dennis said the club was pleased to see the lights finally becoming a reality yesterday.
"It was nice to see the light towers going up,'' he said.
"From the club point of view, it is frustrating to not have the lights available for round one.
"We're still hopeful we can get a couple of twilight matches in May, which will be confirmed closer to time.''
The BFL opening round will feature a night match at Sunbury's Clarke Oval with the eastern Lions set to host Darley under its new lights on April 17.
Access to night football in Ballarat itself is limited to Eureka Stadium, home to multiple tenants, the only satisfactory night venue available and often heavily loaded with matches at weekends.
BFL operations manager Aaron Nunn said the light towers installed at Eastern Oval were "fantastic'' to see.
"It will be good to have our own venue for night football in Ballarat,'' Nunn said.
"The BFL has been working hard on night football the past 12 months, trying to establish night football in each of the league's town centres.''
Eastern Oval's project included funding from Ballarat council and the State Government.
Councillor Mark Harris said the venue would offer a high quality training and match facility for regional competition and championships all year long.
"As one of the premier sports precincts .th.th. in council's sports .th.th. strategy, Eastern Oval has the potential to become a major event location .th.th. and council is committed to developing the reserve into a premier facility."
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