Mayor Heather Henderson with fellow councillors who are launching a new bid to keep AFL football in Subiaco.
Camera IconMayor Heather Henderson with fellow councillors who are launching a new bid to keep AFL football in Subiaco. Credit: Supplied/Andrew Ritchie

New bid to keep Subi footy

Rosanna Candler, Western Suburbs WeeklyWestern Suburbs Weekly

Mrs Henderson said her unsuccessful meeting with Premier Colin Barnett and Sports Minister Terry Waldron two years ago would not deter her from ‘having another bash’ at arguing Subiaco’s case.

‘We walked into a room and, before we even had a chance to speak, the Premier said: ‘Let me tell you Heather, Burswood is my preferred option’,’ she said.

Mrs Henderson said Subiaco had been fighting the State Government for many years to keep Subiaco as the destination for major sporting events and WA losing its AAA rating meant they were now an attractive option.

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Cr Paul Clements presented a motion at last week’s council meeting to upgrade the oval. He said it would cost less than half the Burswood stadium budget to increase capacity and upgrade Subiaco oval’s three-tier stand.

‘We can create more parking, better access and increase the footprint of the site ” there is room to move,’ he said.

Cr Murray Rowe amended Cr Clement’s motion to include the option of building a new stadium at Kitchener Park, receiving support from fellow councillors.

‘We’ve got the material (planning designs) and it’s already paid for, let’s pull it out of the archives and put it in the media,’ Cr Rowe said.

‘The public want state-of-the-art, they want it now and they want money left over.’

Despite voting in favour, Cr Garry Trinder said the City should be cautious of antagonising Mr Barnett during ‘such delicate times’.

Cr Stephanie Stroud said Mr Barnett could save face if they presented Subiaco as a viable, prudent financial alternative to Burswood.

‘We owe it to the people and the local business owners to do everything we possibly can,’ Cr Stroud said.