Phoenix Lacrosse Club has 570,000 extra reasons to celebrate its 125th anniversary this year, with the State Government contributing $570,000 to the $1m City of Cockburn upgrade of clubrooms at Goodchild Park.
Tenders for the Hamilton Hill facility upgrade will be advertised in early October with construction due to begin late this year with completion due by mid-2022.
State Government funding of $220,000 has come from a Community Sporting and Recreation Facilities Fund grant with another $350,000 to consolidate the grant as part of a State Government election commitment from Fremantle MLA Simone McGurk.
City of Cockburn Head of Recreation Infrastructure and Services, Travis Moore, said the upgrade and extension project was a high priority for the City and the club.
“This is a high priority project, especially for members of the Goodchild Park-based club, which is WA’s oldest lacrosse club, established in 1896,” Mr Moore said.
“During consultation, the club told the City that the lack of unisex toilet and change room facilities resulted in the loss of club’s entire women’s program in 2019, losing all their female players to clubs with more suitable facilities.
“The lacking facilities also restrict the club’s ability to host sports carnivals and events at Goodchild Park, as they currently use an old storage space as their “home” change room.
“The clubroom also does not have a dedicated visitors’ change room, with visiting teams having to prepare for their games within the open clubroom area and get changed in the toilets.
“These much-needed improvements will allow the lacrosse club to re-establish its women’s program, boost the sport of lacrosse by hosting events and visitors well into the future, and as a place for community members to enjoy.”
Sport and Recreation Minister Tony Buti said the State Government was committed to developing sustainable infrastructure for sport and recreation across WA.
“This government is proud to be supporting the development of the City of Cockburn’s Goodchild Park Pavilion by providing funding for much-needed upgrades to its facilities,” Dr Buti said.
“Through supporting the development of well-designed and well-utilised facilities, such as these upgrades at Goodchild Park, we’re aiming to increase participation in sport and recreation across the state.
“Providing facilities like unisex change rooms makes a big difference in attracting participation and fostering talent in women and girls’ sport, which continues to flourish.”
“The State Government, through the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, is a major supporter of community sport and recreation facilities in WA,” Ms McGurk said.
“Sport and recreation builds stronger, healthier, happier and safer communities. When we play sport our whole community wins.”
Last year the City spent $110,000 to upgrade sporting fields at Goodchild Park including the re-orientation of the rectangular sports pitches, relocation and replacement of the centre cricket wicket, and the construction and installation of a new limestone retaining wall to provide increased active sporting space.
The City also recently completed the $340,000 installation of new sports floodlighting at the reserve, providing 200 lux lighting across four new poles.
The lighting project also included passive lighting and CCTV on the main building, to safely activate the venue, enabling people to gather after hours.
The floodlighting project included the installation of community lighting to increase passive surveillance and access to the reserve at night. The clubrooms upgrade will include CCTV to improve safety and security of the new facilities.
The clubroom upgrade project will include:
- 2 x new unisex change rooms
- A new umpire’s room
- A new first aid room
- A new external park Universal Accessible Toilet
- Improved storage facilities (internal and external)
- Upgraded internal toilets (male, female and UAT)
- Upgraded kitchen/kiosk facilities
- Upgraded clubroom space.