Main points:
- Cockburn Council has endorsed a $6.88m construction tender for the redevelopment of the Malabar Park BMX facility in Bibra Lake
- The facility’s key user, Cockburn BMX Club, is set to benefit from a new racing track with a 5m start ramp and a new clubroom
- The project will be completed by MG Group (Menchetti Consolidated Pty Ltd).
Local BMX enthusiasts will soon witness the creation of a facility able to host national-level events following Cockburn Council’s decision to endorse the $6.88m construction tender to redevelop Malabar Park in Bibra Lake.
The much-anticipated project will be completed for the City by MG Group (Menchetti Consolidated Pty Ltd) following the successful advertisement of tenders between 22 March and 9 May.
The facility’s key user, Cockburn BMX Club, is set to benefit from a new racing track with a 5m start ramp and a new clubroom.
The redeveloped site, which will be open for broader community use, will also include a car park, lighting, pump track, playground, barbecue facilities and a public toilet, plus storage space for future tenant, local charity Friends of the Community.
The Friends of the Community, which was named Community Volunteer Organisation of the Year at the 2023 WA Volunteer of the Year Awards, is a Cockburn-based organisation that provides food at local events, and donates 100 per cent of its profits to the community.
Work is scheduled for completion by December 2024 and funding includes a $100,000 grant from the State Government’s Community Sporting and Recreation Facilities Fund for floodlighting.
Cockburn BMX Club will provide a $20,000 contribution upon the project’s completion.
City of Cockburn Head of Recreation Andrew Tomlinson said it was wonderful the growing BMX community could finally get excited about the long-awaited project.
“The proposal was endorsed by Council as part of the Community, Sport and Recreation Facilities Plan in 2018 including concept designs for a new track, clubroom building, start ramp, offices and lighting,” Mr Tomlinson said.
“The project had progressed through a number of hurdles, seeking endorsement from the Contaminated Sites Auditor and applying for funding, with further unfortunate delays and cost increases caused by the pandemic to contend with.
“We’re very happy to finally see this shovel-ready project at a stage where work can begin converting a previous landfill site into a co-located facility set to benefit a broad range of uses.
“The new facility will benefit the whole community, particularly local up and coming BMX enthusiasts primed for the opening of what will be a high-quality regional facility able to host national-level events that will help the sport grow even further.”