There was a little bit of fanfare, nothing over the top though. No theme song, no streamers or balloons.
But make no mistake, the announcement this morning that the Town of Victoria Park and the West Coast Eagles had reached agreement over the lease of Lathlain Park, which will be the club’s new home, was important.
It is not up quite there with winning a premiership, but it is significant. Particularly in providing a future direction and base for the club.
This club has a heavy emphasis on its community programs. With principal community partner BHP Billiton, and through a range of its own programs, West Coast is acutely aware of the impact it can have right across the state.
From the Kicking Goals, for which it partners BHP and Swan Districts, in the north-west, to multicultural and a broad range of school programs, it is committed to having an influence outside of the playing arena.
It is a champion of so many causes, a partner of charities and organisations with whom it is able to make a difference. Just last week, a cheque of around $130,000 was presented to Cancer Council WA, taking the club’s contribution in a decade-long relationship to beyond the million-dollar mark.
At a new facility at Lathlain Park, it is envisaged the club will be even more accessible to those organisations, as well as the broader community. Its current base at Subiaco Oval is not as conducive to public access as West Coast would like and Lathlain Park will open up new frontiers.
Again, the relationship with the Town of Victoria Park and, by extension the ratepayers, residents and businesses within its boundaries, is a partnership in the true sense. And so are the opportunities.
That much is already obvious, because the Wirrpanda Foundation, which carries the name of the champion back pocket player and premiership star of 2006, will be housed in the new facility. The foundation has had a profound impact within the Indigenous community in this state and beyond.
Then there is the relationship with the SAS Resources Trust, which will gain maturity when the club relocates.
Yes, one of the key elements is to provide a state-of-the-art training facility for the team. But the West Coast Eagles are more than a football team.
That was again reinforced at today’s announcement, with mayor Trevor Vaughan, clearly delighted with the partnership between the Town of Victoria Park, so enthusiastically spruiking the community benefits of this development.
“This is a major milestone in progressing the redevelopment project and the town’s partnership with the Eagles, which will deliver great benefit to our community,” he enthused.
“The economic benefit to the town is very significant, but what is perhaps more important about this partnership is the collaborative development and delivery of a broad range of new community programs to our residents by the Eagles and their partners, the Wirrpanda Foundation and SAS Resources Trust.”
The Eagles’ move to Lathlain Park and their investment in the redevelopment of the site forms one part of the Town of Victoria Park’s Lathlain Precinct Redevelopment Project.
The multi-million dollar revitalisation project encompasses seven zones which will undergo redevelopment and /or revitalisation to make Lathlain a vibrant and vital community asset.
Key elements of the Lathlain Park redevelopment include:
- Creation of two ovals, one with a synthetic running track around the perimeter
- Education areas with dedicated areas for community development programs
- The town and West Coast Eagles partnering to deliver a suite of community and social initiatives
- A new home for the West Coast Eagles, incorporating indoor and outdoor training facilities
- A community hub including café and club museum
- A new home for the Wirrpanda Foundation,which will deliver community outreach programs locally
- BBQ areas, playgrounds, walk trails
- Improved pedestrian access and parking
West Coast Eagles CEO Mr Trevor Nisbett said that the signing of the lease with the Town of Victoria Park represented a major step forward in realising the vision for Lathlain Park.
“This agreement is the culmination of many years of dedicated planning by the West Coast Eagles and the Town of Victoria Park and further demonstrates our absolute commitment to the Lathlain Park redevelopment.
“With the support of government, our partnership with the Town of Victoria Park will deliver wonderful outcomes for the whole of the community,” Nisbett said.
The Lathlain Park redevelopment is scheduled for completion by late 2017, subject to the approval of funding proposals currently with the State and Federal Government.
Artist's impression: Future West Coast players train at Lathlain Park
