Lakelands Hockey and Sporting Facility

This new hockey facility is home to Fremantle Hockey Club and includes:

• Artificial hockey turf 
• 2 grass hockey fields
• Clubroom facilities including an indoor function area.

The clubroom facilities will include four change rooms, toilet facilities, storeroom, bar service, indoor function area, outdoor area and kitchen facilities. 

The need for a hockey facility

Over the past 30 years, recreational hockey has been increasingly played on synthetic pitches. One of FHC’s major issues is that when juniors begin playing senior hockey, they tend to leave the Club for alternative clubs that have modern turf facilities.
 
Without a modern facility, the FHC’s sustainability was at risk. Conversely, the City of Cockburn continues to experience population growth but has lacked any hockey facility at both City managed reserves and public schools.
 
The City identified that provision of a hockey facility was a priority. The Western Australian Hockey Association (Hockey WA) also recognised that a turf facility in the wider Cockburn district would help meet the future needs of both regional hockey competition and secondary school sport and recreation.
 
The facility is co-funded by FHC ($0.5M), State Government ($1.25M) and the City of Cockburn ($4.78M).

The site

For several years, FHC had been exploring the potential to establish a modern hockey club facility in a suitable location, to provide training and match time on turf pitches necessary for the development of both elite and recreational participation.

A site analysis undertaken by FHC, in conjunction with the City and the former Department of Sport and Recreation, identified several options that were then explored in greater detail. In considering factors such as land ownership and site availability, capacity and functionality, land adjacent to Lakelands Senior High School (SHS) in the City of Cockburn was identified as the preferred site. The location would allow a joint use facility to be built. To achieve this, the Department of Education (DoE), City and FHC entered into a Heads of Agreement to progress its development.
 

Benefits of the new site

The Lakelands site is 10km south east of the existing FHC location. Importantly for the Club, the favourable catchment demographics indicate that its relocation to a modern facility at Lakelands will enable the Club’s future growth to around 900 members within 4–5 years, with 80% of this growth predicted to be junior ranks.
 
While the project primarily aims to resolve the lack of a hockey facility in the district, the development would benefit the cricket clubs and social cricket groups across the City of Cockburn, schools and adjacent communities. The clubrooms would also be used by other smaller sporting bodies.