Fremantle Dockers’ headquarters at Cockburn to be extended
Plans have been revealed for a $11.24 million extension of the Cockburn ARC, which will increase use of the oval, while community access will also be boosted.
Cockburn Council will enter into negotiations with the Fremantle Dockers to expand the facility, which will include extensions to both the Dockers’ headquarters and the public facility.
The Cockburn Aquatic and Recreation Centre, which incorporates the AFL club’s training and administration headquarters, opened in 2017 at a cost of $110 million, making it the most expensive of any elite club’s headquarters in Australia.
The Dockers’ portion of the extension would include spectator seating next to the Victor George Kallis Oval, unisex changerooms for their AFLW side, an undercover training area and a multi-purpose room.
However, despite the improved match-day spectator facilities, Fremantle chief executive Simon Garlick has ruled out hosting AFLW or AFL pre-season matches at their training base, with the upgrading falling short of the minimum standards required to host home games.
“The club is committed to working through the design stage of the project with the City of Cockburn, but due to the impact of COVID-19 on the club’s financial position, it will need to consider its position carefully before being able to commit to the construction phase,” Garlick said.
The new facilities would be available to the public when not in use by the Fremantle Dockers, in a bid to increase community use of Victor George Kailis Oval.
The AFL club is still working on the design phase of the development with the City of Cockburn.
The City of Cockburn has proposed to pre-fund the Dockers with $5.8m to carry out its portion of the proposed works, with the club entering into a payback agreement aligned with the lease. Fremantle would pay the City $230,000 up-front for its portion of design works, while State Government funding will be sought for the construction of the changerooms and multi-purpose room.
Fremantle’s AFLW team will continue to host home games at Fremantle Oval, which itself is due to receive an upgrade in future years. While the AFL club’s former headquarters at the historic ground will soon be occupied by A-League club, Perth Glory.
