South Lake hockey facilities grounded after grant falls short of target

HOCKEY facilities proposed for South Lake remain on ice after a grant left the City of Cockburn short of its target.

The City hoped to secure $2 million from the State Government’s Community Sporting and Recreation Facilities Fund (CSRFF) to help finance new clubrooms and playing facilities at Lakelands Reserve.

The venture, one element of a Hockey WA plan by to improve playing facilities across Perth, is expected to cost $6.53m.

Cockburn council had planned to fund the bulk of that with a $4.03m input, while the Fremantle Hockey Club, which plans to relocate to the new facility, would pour in $500,000.

The remaining $2 million was to be funded by the CSRFF.

But on Tuesday, the City was awarded $1.25m, $750,000 short of what it was hoping for.

Despite much of the prep work, including a master plan, building concept plans and a business plan having being developed, Cockburn’s recreation and community safety manager Rob Avard said little could be progressed until a decision was made by council.

“The council will be required to review its level of financial commitment to the project in light of the shortfall in state government funding,” he said.

“There are no additional sources of funding available to the City for the hockey project.

“It’s a decision of council whether it will allocate additional funds to the project.”

Hockey WA chief executive Peter Churack, buoyed by CSRFF funding for the South Lake project and a second in Gosnells, was excited by what the facilities would add to the sport in WA.

“These new hockey facilities, located in key locations in the south-east and south-west, will enable us to further develop and grow the game and give more residents the opportunity to play,” he said.

Despite the City of Cockburn missing out on its target amount, Fremantle Hockey Club men’s vice-president Matt Allan said the money offered “spoke to the value of hockey development in the south metropolitan region”.

“The club is alive with excitement about a home turf and we have already had potential new players make contact,” he said.

“The future now looks brighter for the club and hockey in the south metropolitan region.

“We are very keen to implement the Lakelands project as soon as possible.”

He said the club was on target to raise the $500,000 it is putting into the project.