Hammond Park residents are the proud beneficiaries of the official opening of a $10.5m sports and community facility that will cater for the area’s growing population of active young families in the years ahead.
Frankland Park Sports and Community Facility was officially opened on 23 April by Cockburn Mayor Logan Howlett and South Metropolitan MLC Hon. Stephen Pratt, and attended by Councillors, Hon. Senator Slade Brockman, and Fremantle MHR Hon. Josh Wilson.
Following a 14-month construction period, the major City of Cockburn project delivers a base for Hammond Park Junior Football Club, the Braves Baseball Club and Hammond Park Community Association.
Recreation Services Manager Dean Burton said the facility would help increase local participation in physical recreation and sporting activities, becoming a focal point for the community as a venue perfect to hire for gatherings and fundraising activities.
“This attractive modern facility is also large enough to accommodate regional events and tournaments, which is another wonderful opportunity for our community and the clubs that will call Frankland Park home.”
The project resulted in a $182,000 upgrade to Frankland Avenue, widened to include additional streetlighting and two medians to help vehicles access the 150-bay carpark and bus bay.
The multi-purpose facility has two bore-reticulated AFL-size ovals with 100 lux LED floodlighting, a club room and equipment storage space, commercial kitchen and kiosk, four players’ changerooms, two umpires’ changerooms, a first aid room, external public toilets, a 200sqm function room, 100sqm community activity room, a baseball batting cage, playground and spectator viewing area.
The City-funded project was boosted by a $1.5m State Government Community Sporting and Recreation Facilities Fund grant, and $200,000 from the Federal Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Grant Program, while a $150,000 grant from Kwinana MLA Hon. Roger Cook helped prepare the turf for the 2022 football season.
Mr Burton said a highlight of the Frankland Reserve facility was public art inspired by flora and fauna endemic to the Cockburn area, including an outdoor playground, and interior and exterior design features.
“The familiar shape of banksia leaves feature in the building’s brickwork, roofing profile and an interior glass balustrade while Hamilton Hill artist Melanie Maclou’s innovative artwork was incorporated into Banksia Woodland climbing poles, a Baudin’s Cockatoo xylophone, and a Red-tailed Black Cockatoo slide at the playground,” Mr Burton said.
“Until now there has only been one AFL-size reserve to cater for the growing needs of the Hammond Park community where the population is expected to double over the next 20 years.
“The City first considered the Frankland Reserve development in 2003, identifying it in the 2009 Sport and Recreation Plan.
“The lack of public open space in Hammond Park was again identified during public consultation that began in 2015 for the Community Sport and Recreation Facilities Plan (2018-2033), which detailed it as one of 11 new sport and recreation facilities earmarked for development across the City in the ensuring 11 years.”
Cockburn Council awarded an $8.5m construction tender for the facility, designed by Hodge Collard Preston Architects, to Shelford Constructions in December 2020.
Caption: L to R rear - Dean Freeman (Chair, Hammond Park Community Association), Amanda Mirco (President, Braves Baseball Club), Anton Lees (City of Cockburn Chief of Operations), Mayor Logan Howlett, Hon. Stephen Pratt MLC, Mathew Smith (President, Hammond Park Junior Football Club). Front L to R - Amelia Smith and Alijah Smith (Hammond Park Junior Football Club).