Downgraded pavilion takes a hit

Bunbury Forum Force president Guy Italiano says revised plans for the long-awaited Hay Park Multi Sports Pavilion are inadequate.

The plans do not include important perimeter fencing or kitchen facilities and propose grandstand seating for less than 100 people.

The pavilion has been stuck in the planning stage for several years with the council last year citing budget concerns when rejecting all three tenders for a design based largely on the City of Rockingham’s Larkhill Pavilion.

On Tuesday the council approved a $5 million design brief and preliminary cost estimate for a downgraded concept plan.

Representing the Bunbury Forum Force – one of two major user groups set to benefit from the new pavilion alongside the South West Warriors – Italiano warned the council against building a facility that was not fit for its purpose.

“Without perimeter fencing we can’t generate revenue from gate fees and without a fully operational kitchen our bar takings will take a hit, ” he said.

“The planned grandstand seating for just 90 people is also inadequate – Football West requires covered seating for 200 for National Premier League games which is the standard we aspire to.”

Former Mayor David Smith, who attended Tuesday’s meeting, said he was concerned that close to one third of the $5 million budget was going to the cost of the aborted Larkhill Pavilion design ($285,000), the new design ($375,000) and design and construction contingencies ($715,000).

Mayor Gary Brennan did not agree the original design plans represented a waste of council funding and would not reveal by how much tenders received for the project exceeded the budget.

“Council’s budget was taken into consideration prior to the tender process commencing but unfortunately quotes received through the tender process were well in excess of this budget and available funding, ” he said.

“In accordance with the Local Government Act I am not able to release the details of tender submissions as that is confidential information.

“The engineering advice will be reused as much as possible, therefore it does not represent a waste.”