Grandstand under threat at Eftel Oval

The grandstand is under threat at Eftel Oval (formerly Lathlain Park) with the Town of Victoria Park presenting its preferred option of demolition for a new facility at Eftel Oval. Perth Demons have rejected this offer, with the Master Plan for the venue to be released during the upcoming season. 

Austadiums.com has acquired a letter from Anthony Vuleta, director of technical services at the Town of Victoria Park, to the Perth Demons Football Club, which was sent on the 29th of December 2008.   

"A reviewed lease and the functionality of the existing facility (the grandstand) will require further negotiation between the Club and the Town, to ensure a sustainable outcome is achieved for both parties as well as the community at large."

"The option of demolishing the grandstand to build a new, modern facility located behind the goals on the southern end of the ground has been put to the Perth Football Club by the Town at a meeting in November. This was rejected by the Board of the Perth Football Club in a letter to the Town dated 21st November 2008."

"This Master planning process is intended to be completed towards the middle of 2009."

Perth Demons Football Club said the old grandstand was structurally sound and that it held a vital place at Eftel Oval.

Bradley explained that the council wanted to develop parklands around the venue and that the concern within council was ongoing maintenance of the grandstand. "The stand is suitable to stay, it's structurally sound. The cost of the maintenance of the stand is where the council are concerned."

However Anthony Crozier SCG Project Architect stated that it was unbelievable to replace a larger stand with a smaller one, regardless of the improvement in facilities.

"It would seem bizarre to demolish a stand and replace it with a smaller one even if it has better facilities."

However CEO of the Town of Victoria Park John Bonker said that the future of the Eftel Oval grandstand was not under threat. "Council currently has no plans in place in relation to the future of the grandstand at Eftel Oval." 

Liz Bradley dismissed the claim.

"While there are no official "drawn" plans, they have certainly verbalised the option to the Perth Football Club at the November meeting."

Liz Bradley says that the Perth Demons FC are seeking to re-educate council

"That's the unfortunate thing, to educate council that the WAFL is alive and well, and growing. There tends to be a view of the past and that is so far behind of what the reality is. There is a huge amount of education to be done. We are meeting with council and giving them a tour of our ground and facilities. They are making assumptions and views not based on facts."

"We had crowds of over 22,000 (aggregate) last season. We haven't had crowds of that size since 1993. We are passionate about our facility here, it's a wonderful grandstand. It's still very serviceable. We're passionate about preserving that."

Bonker dismisses the importance of the crowd growth as signs of a healthy WAFL competition, preferring to look at the context of it as a non-elite football competition.

"Notwithstanding crowd numbers, there is no denying that WAFL football no longer is the elite competition it was in the past."

"We are aware there are contrasting opinions in the community about the heritage value of the Eftel Oval grandstand. The Town will always look at protecting valuable historical assets.  Deciding what is deemed to be 'valuable' is a responsibility of the Council of the day."

Anthony Crozier, SCG project architect, states that it's preferable if they utilise an older stand rather then construct a new one, even if the costs of retro-fitting are prohibitive.

"To build within the fabric of an existing stand, i.e. keep the facade and build within its shell, there is a lot of engineering required to maintain the old building and therefore a lot of additional costs attributed to this preservation, but it's hard to put a price on history no matter how insignificant it may seem."

"It is essentially the second line of history for a ground, the first being the playing field. It prompts an emotive response from the general public who can relate to the buildings, as it is often the focus of stories as a sense of place."