West Coast Eagles Zone

Frequently Asked Questions

West Coast Eagles Zone FAQ

March 8, 2019

Who is funding the redevelopment of this Zone?

The West Coast Eagles, with complementary funding across a variety of government and private sources, are fully funding the redevelopment of this Zone, including the shared community facilities.

Is this Zone going to be publicly accessible?

The West Coast Eagles Zone is designed to feature publicly accessible facilities within its building, including the café, sports museum and cultural centre, together with community events, functions and education spaces, and community access to Oval 2 in accordance with the provisions of their lease.

What approvals are in place for this Zone?

The Town of Victoria Park has entered into a ground lease with the West Coast Eagles for their Leased Premises zone. The lease includes a Community Benefits Strategy that details both parties’ commitment to the delivery of partnered community programs through the new facilities for the period of the lease. Planning and building approvals have been pregressively put in place and issued by the respective authorised parties.

What benefits will this Zone bring to the community?

The West Coast Eagles will contributed capital funding to the redevelopment works for the Perth Football Club (Zone 1) and the Community Activity Zone (Zone 2), as well as providing two full-time employees towards the Town’s community programs – for the life of the lease (which could be up to 99 years).

The West Coast Eagles development has funded the high quality open space (the ovals and landscaped surrounds) as well as basing many of the their community and social programs within the Town of Victoria Park. The programs delivered by the West Coast Eagles (and their partners the Wirrpanda Foundation) from the Lathlain premises will focus on outcomes in employment, health, education, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander wellbeing, youth engagement and social inclusion. Many of these will also be delivered in partnership with the Town of Victoria Park.

Without the ancillary social investment, the precinct redevelopment would not have proceeded.

What is the club’s vision for this project?

Together with their partners, the Town of Victoria Park, Perth Football Club the AFL, State Government and Federal Government, the West Coast Eagles are creating a new training, administration and community facility at Lathlain Park in inner Perth. The facilities form part of the complete redevelopment and revitalisation of the Lathlain Precinct.

The facilities ‘bring home’ the Wirrpanda Foundation and support the development of other valued community partnerships.

It will facilitate the development and delivery of an expanded suite of community programs both through the Eagles in the Community programs and in partnership with the Town of Victoria Park. This will also create new opportunities for interaction that will benefit the club, its supporters and the community.

The project delivers a wide range of community accessible facilities within the Lathlain Precinct, including Oval 1 the new training and match day oval for the Perth Demons, whose home has been at Lathlain since 1959.

From a football perspective, the state of the art training, recovery and medical facilities will provide West Coast Eagles players, coaches and staff with a world-class environment that will enable the club to remain a strong, competitive force within the AFL competition over the long term.

Why does the club need a new training, administration and community facility?

The club’s facilities at Domain Stadium in Subiaco were outdated and unable to meet the current and future needs of the organisation and their supporters.

The club recognised that it is essential to provide its players, coaches and administrative staff with the best possible facilities and resources to ensure that they can achieve sustained success both on and off the field. This objective could only be reached with the development of a new best practice training and administration facility.

Subiaco facilities also limited their ability to expand community programs and provide a welcoming and accessible club environment.

What process has the club followed in planning and developing the project?

A thorough and robust project development process was undertaken by club’s management team and the board, which resulted in the identification of Lathlain Park as the preferred location for their future home.

Following an Agreement to Lease, a 50year Lease Agreement (with a further 49-year option) securing the club’s tenure at Lathlain, was signed with the Town of Victoria Park in August 2016.

State Government and Federal Government have committed to investing $10 million each in the project, reflecting its high value to the community. The Town of Victoria Park is also investing in upgrades to numerous public zones in the Lathlain Precinct.

A high level of community consultation has taken place within the Town of Victoria Park throughout the planning and development phases, and there is extremely strong support for the project and its outcomes. The club has enjoyed a close working partnership with the Council on all aspects of the project.

Forward works on the two new ovals that form the centrepiece of the project were undertaken in 2016/17 and a development application relating to the built structures was approved in December 2016.

It is expected that the project will be completed in the first half of 2019.

What will happen to the club’s current facilities at Domain Stadium?

The club will continue to have its administration and retail outlet at the Subiaco Stadium until development of the new facility is completed at Lathlain Park. Player training has already transitioned to the new ovals.

What will happen to Domain Stadium after the club leaves?

Subiaco (Domain) Stadium is being redeveloped.

Will members be able to watch training at the new facility?

Yes. Open training sessions as advertised by the club will remain accessible to members.

How can members get to the new facility when it is completed?

The best way depends on where you are travelling from.

It is accessible by public transport, with the Victoria Park train station only 500m from Lathlain Park. The site is approximately seven km from the Perth CBD and three kms from the site of the new Optus Stadium. It is easily accessed from major arterial roads including the Graham Farmer Freeway and the Great Eastern Highway.

What does the project include?

The facilities will include:

Two ovals (one MCG size and one the same size as the new Perth Stadium), both with lights.
A synthetic running track around the perimeter of one of the ovals.
Best-practice gymnasium, aquatic recovery, medical, coaching and player development areas.
An indoor lap pool.
A large indoor training field/area.
Player lounge and study areas.
Administration headquarters designed to maximise integration across the business.
Flexible education spaces including dedicated facilities for the Wirrpanda Foundation and the club’s community programs.
Community hub including café, merchandise store and interactive sports and cultural area.

Does the establishment of the facility at Lathlain Park mean the club would consider changing its name?

No. The club will always be known as the West Coast Eagles.

Where will the development rank against other elite sporting facilities?

The new facility will provide the club with a world-class training and administration facility. The facility will allow the club to provide its players with the best possible training environment as well as providing the community with a great and valuable asset to utilise. It is envisaged that the facility will be the best available within the AFL, and amongst the best in the world for any professional sports team.

Does the development at Lathlain Park allow for future expansion?

The building has factored in growth for the club over the next 10 to 15 years. The development also provides future-proofing for further growth by the club over the next 99 years.

What facilities within the development will be available to the community?

Oval 1 is shared with Perth Football Club, and at the discretion of West Coast Eagles, with others. Oval 2 will be available for community users, including the Perth Football Club, local clubs, schools and the general community. In addition, spaces within the building will be publicaly accessible and used for the delivery of community programs.

Who will manage the facility?

The West Coast Eagles will manage and operate their new training, administration and community facility within their lease boundary.

Where is Lathlain Park?

Lathlain Park is located approximately 5km from Perth CBD in the town of Victoria Park. It is the home of the Perth Football Club.

What will happen to the Perth Football Club?

The Perth Football Club will continue to play its home games on Oval 1 at the venue and use Lathlain Park as its training and administration base.

Will Perth Football Club and the West Coast Eagles share the new facility?

The Perth Football Club and the West Coast Eagles will each have separate facilities. This is to ensure that the Perth Football Club can retain its own identity and independence.

Use of the ovals is shared by formal agreement.