Build to start for Dockers

On Tuesday night the City of Cockburn agreed to lease the land from LandCorp, freeing it up to begin construction of the $108.42m million facility.

Earthworks at the site were started by LandCorp in December and completed recently. The lease will cost the city $1 a year.

At the same meeting, the city endorsed Balcatta company Commercial Aquatics Australia to build the eight pools planned for the centre, plus any pumps, and filtration and sanitation systems.

CAA was chosen above two other serious contenders, with the city agreeing to a guaranteed maximum price of $12.5 million for the company's services.

Also endorsed at the meeting was Drilling Contractors Australia (DCA), with the city set to spend $3.5 million on a geothermal system to heat the centre's pools.

In a report to councillors, a city officer said geothermal heating, used at six Perth leisure centres, would reduce operational costs dramatically.

"The geothermal system is estimated to produce an annual saving of $435,000 a year compared with traditional boilers and provide a 72 per cent reduction in greenhouse gases, or a saving of 492 tonnes of CO2 per annum," the officer said.

DCA owner Trevor Iley said the city was making the right call on geothermal technology.

"The geothermal system is way ahead of the old systems," he said.

"The cost savings work out to be hundreds of thousands a year and the systems are environmentally very clean."

Mayor Logan Howlett said the project was progressing well. "We are excited to see these tenders awarded so the city can start to progress with the facility," he said.

Completion of the centre is expected in March 2017.