City of Wanneroo to decide on unbudgeted plan for transportable changerooms at local reserves

TRANSPORTABLE change rooms could soon be at sports facilities in Alkimos, Eglinton and Madeley if City of Wanneroo councillors support an unbudgeted proposal tonight.

City community facilities manager Shane Spinks told the council at its June 14 briefing that the report proposed installing temporary buildings at Leatherback Park, the Amberton playing fields and Kingsway Regional Sporting Complex.

“Existing facility provision is insufficient to meet current needs of the clubs who use those facilities, mainly due to increases in growth of membership,” he said.

Currently affected groups include the Alkimos District Cricket, Alkimos Sea Hawks Football and Wanneroo City Soccer clubs. The City is also seeking expressions of interest from groups for the Eglinton ovals.

The council report said it would cost $95,750 each to provide transportable buildings at the north coast facilities, and $103,400 at Kingsway.

Mr Spinks said at the moment Leatherback Park had only toilet facilities, the Amberton playing fields had no amenities, and there was a need for female change rooms at Kingsway.

Councillor Brett Treby said that in some circumstances female players had to change in the public, undercover veranda area or in the communal clubroom.

Mr Spinks said if approved tonight, the transportable units could be on site “in a matter of months”.

Another $292,465 proposal to place transportable buildings at Yanchep Sports Club could be ditched at tonight’s meeting.

On June 14, Mr Spinks said the sports club had decided it no longer wanted the transportable units on its site.

Mr Spinks said the proposal arose after the developer-run Capricorn House closed in 2014 and aimed to help accommodate the community groups that had previously used that building.

“The City of Wanneroo worked with user groups to find alternative venues,” he said.

“We found a number of options – one of those was to use transportables.

“The Yanchep Sports Club itself was identified as a preferred site.”

Mr Spinks said after the City received correspondence from the club that it no longer supported the proposal, staff reviewed other locations and whether there was still a need for them.

“The need as it once stood is not as pressing now,” he said.

Both reports will be considered at the June 28 council meeting after the council has considered its 2016-17 Budget.