The state’s new multi-purpose stadium may be getting all the headlines, but several other infrastructure projects in Western Australian sport are already going ahead, or close to being finalised.
The state’s new multi-purpose stadium may be getting all the headlines, but several other infrastructure projects in Western Australian sport are already going ahead, or close to being finalised.
Among these is the Fremantle Football Club’s negotiations with the City of Fremantle.
A move to Fremantle Park, less than one kilometre from the club’s existing headquarters, was initially mooted. However, the more likely scenario is a redevelopment of the club’s existing facilities at Fremantle Oval, with an expansion over the adjacent Stan Reilly site.
The site, which fronts South Terrace, formerly housed an aged-care residence.
The intention is to create a precinct which might include a sporting hall of fame, cafe, members’ facilities, and sports medicine centre.
Fremantle Mayor Peter Tagliaferri said the council had passed a resolution to keep the football club in Fremantle and wanted to create facilities that better connected the football club with the general community.
Mr Tagliaferri said the council would be negotiating with other stakeholders, including the Western Australian Football Commission, South Fremantle Football Club, and East Fremantle Football Club regarding the move.
According to Fremantle Football Club chief executive Cameron Schwab, the new facilities will help the club entrench its legacy.
“It’ll be as significant a strategic position as the club’s ever had, on any level. It would basically secure the club forever,” Mr Schwab told WA Business News.
He said the club had outgrown its current facilities to the point that short-term arrangements were needed to manage its growing staff.
The club hopes to finalise some detail on the project by the end of the year.
Meanwhile, the Western Australian Cricket Association is continuing to plan for a $250 million redevelopment of the WACA Ground.
The proposed project, which is being backed by Jandakot Airport operator Ascot Capital Ltd, will upgrade the ground to a 30,000-seat venue.
The wider development includes two 17-storey residential towers, each containing 160 apartments, and two six-storey office buildings alongside 24 townhouses.
Ascot Capital director Gregory King said a master plan for the project was currently being reviewed by the East Perth Redevelopment Authority.
While the project is to be funded by Ascot, through a combination of equity and debt, the WACA has previously said it will seek about $20 million in government funding for a cricket excellence centre at the UWA sports park in Floreat.
Within the Floreat sports precinct, BGC Construction has started groundworks for the state government-funded $73 million basketball and athletics complex at AK Reserve, having won the contract in December last year.
The complex will replace facilities at Perry Lakes stadium and is due for completion early next year.
It will include a 2,000-seat grandstand for athletics and will have the capacity to seat a further 8,000 people in a grassed area.
Athletics Western Australia chief executive Wayne Loxley said he hoped the project would be completed by March next year, to enable the last part of the athletics season to be held in the new facilities.
The complex will also contain an eight-court basketball stadium, with a show court and office space for local clubs.
Both Athletics WA and Basketball WA will be headquartered at the new facility, while Rugby WA is yet to determine whether it will also move there.
