Work has begun on the $9.3 million Frankland Park Sports and Community Facility in Hammond Park, with a symbolic sod-turning held on site today.
The multipurpose facility will be built on Frankland Avenue and include amenities to cater for the Hammond Park Junior Football Club and the Braves Baseball Club, which will use it as their HQ.
City of Cockburn Recreation and Community Safety Manager Travis Moore said the project would also include upgrades to Frankland Avenue, which would be finished before the end of June to allow for the completion of the sporting facilities by early 2022.
The sporting and community facility will comprise club and function spaces available for wider community use, food and beverage areas, toilets, change rooms, and ablutions (toilets/showers).
External sporting facilities will include two fenced, bore-reticulated grass ovals with lighting for AFL use, a baseball batting cage, exercise equipment and a spectator viewing area.
A carpark for 151 cars will have shade trees and lighting. CCTV will also be installed at the facility.
A section of Frankland Avenue will be widened and street lighting and two medians added to help with vehicle access to the facility carpark, and a bus loading bay.
Mr Moore said the City identified a lack of public open space in the Hammond Park area while developing the Community Sport and Recreation Facilities Plan in 2018-2033.
“Currently in Hammond Park there is only one AFL-size reserve to cater for the growing needs of the community, with population in the area expected to double over the course of the next 20 years,” Mr Moore said.
“The development of Frankland Park is critical to ensuring the growing community’s sport and recreation needs can be met.
The City’s Club Development Team will continue to work with the clubs that will call Frankland Park home to ensure a smooth transition. It will be an exciting time of expansion for them.
“Hammond Park Junior Football Club alone is expecting a membership increase of at least 15 per cent in the first year of its operation at the new facility.”
Cockburn Council awarded an $8.5 million construction tender for the facility to Shelford Constructions in December 2020.
The City project has received a $1.5 million State Government Community Sporting and Recreation Facilities Fund grant, $200,000 from the Federal Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Grant Program and a $150,000 grant from Kwinana MLA Roger Cook.
Led by City of Cockburn Mayor Logan Howlett, today’s sod-turning was attended by Mr Cook, Hammond Park Junior Football Club President Mathew Smith, Braves Baseball Club President Amanda Mirco and Hammond Park Community Association Chairperson Emma Horsefield.
Photo caption: (l-r) Kwinana MLA Roger Cook, Hammond Park Junior Football Club President Mathew Smith, Hammond Park Community Association Chairperson Emma Horsefield, Deputy Mayor Lara Kirkwood, Braves Baseball Club President Amanda Mirco and Mayor Logan Howlett.