Cockburn ARC

Outdoor pool and water slides

Cockburn Aquatic and Recreation Centre (commonly known as Cockburn ARC) is an aquatic and recreation centre located in the southern Perth suburb of Cockburn Central. The facility also contains the administrative and training headquarters of professional Australian rules football club the Fremantle Football Club, who compete in the Australian Football League.

Community use

The ARC is owned and operated by the City of Cockburn which provides community access to most of the facilities. There are indoor and outdoor aquatic facilities as well as basketball courts. Swim, fitness and sports classes are available. The centre features three water slides that opened in May 2017.[1]

Fremantle Football Club

After being previously based at Fremantle Oval, in February 2015 the Fremantle Football Club (nicknamed the Dockers) announced that it would move to the new facility at Cockburn.[2] Construction of the $109 million facility began later that year.[3] The major features of the facility include reserved for the club include:[4]

  • The Victor George Kailis Oval; an Australian rules football sized oval that is Fremantle's primary outdoor training facility. The oval features embankments and standing room for approximately 3,000 spectators.[5] It is equipped with a GPS program that shows instantly where goal posts and markings can be moved to replicate other stadium dimensions
  • Indoor training centre with half a football oval marked across six basketball courts (also available for community use)
  • Aquatic recovery, hydrotherapy and pools area, an altitude chamber with sleeping area for players and an indoor running track
  • Club function centre and a retail outlet
  • Dedicated football department housing offices for the club's AFL/AFLW coaches and staff

The Dockers moved into the 6,000 m2 (65,000 sq ft) facility in February 2017.[6] The Victor George Kailis Oval is named in recognition of one of the club's founding member families, who were regular donors to the Fremantle Dockers Foundation.[7] The oval hosted its first inter-club match in February 2023, when Fremantle played Adelaide in a pre-season practice match.[8] In February 2024 the club announced an expansion of the facility, to include new changerooms for AFLW players, an undercover 250-seat spectator viewing stand and a multipurpose function and education space.[9]

Awards

  • Community Facility of the Year Award — 2018 Parks and Leisure Australia Awards[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ "New waterpark to open in Perth's south". The West Australian. 18 May 2017.
  2. ^ "Cockburn too good to pass up, says Freo CEO". Fremantle FC. 18 February 2015.
  3. ^ "New frontier for Fremantle". Fremantle FC. 21 July 2015.
  4. ^ "New Cockburn base has 'best of everything'". The West Australian. Fremantle FC. 19 February 2016.
  5. ^ "Cockburn ARC". Austadiums.
  6. ^ "New Cockburn home for Fremantle Dockers bolsters spirits for 2017". The Age. 22 February 2017.
  7. ^ "Victor George Kailis Oval". fremantlefc.com.au. 20 June 2016.
  8. ^ "Fremantle Dockers to play Adelaide Crows in first game at Cockburn ARC Victor George Kailis Oval". Perth Now. 23 February 2023.
  9. ^ "Club facility expansion update". fremantlefc.com.au. 19 February 2024.
  10. ^ "Cockburn ARC named PLA 2018 Community Facility of the Year". Australasian Leisure Management. 18 October 2018.

Media related to Cockburn ARC at Wikimedia Commons