stock image.
Camera Iconstock image. Credit: Supplied/Martin Kennealey

WA Labor pledges $75k for consultation on East Fremantle Oval future

Headshot of Josh Zimmerman
Josh ZimmermanMelville Gazette

IF elected, WA Labor will spend $75,000 facilitating community consultation to determine the future of the East Fremantle Oval site.

The funding would be provided to the Town of East Fremantle and the aim of the consultation period would be to give the community an opportunity to have its say about what it would like to see happen at the site.

Set aside for public use by John Forrest in 1901, the last comprehensive plan to develop the precinct in 2012-13 was rejected by the community, which felt it had not been sufficiently involved in its development.

PerthNow Digital Edition.
Your local paper, whenever you want it.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

Labor candidate for Bicton Lisa O’Malley said despite the prospect of East Fremantle Football Club relocating and sharing a ground with rivals South Fremantle, it was likely that the Sharks would continue to have a training ground in East Fremantle.

“The Sharks are an important part of the East Fremantle community, so the community will be keen to have a say on what happens to the East Fremantle Oval site,” she said.

“WA Labor believes that involving the community, bringing them along to maximise the opportunities and understand the challenges, will be essential in any successful development of the precinct.”

The pledge follows a January announcement from Liberal candidate for Bicton Matt Taylor that he was lobbying his party for more than $15 million in funding for a full revitalisation of East Fremantle Oval.

An initial sum of $150,000 would allow the Town of East Fremantle to begin master planning for the site this year with an estimated $15 million in State Government money required to fund construction from 2018.

The Liberal Government is yet to commit to Mr Taylor’s funding request.