Playground but still no urinals at redeveloped WACA

Funding for the giant goanna-shaped playground comes amid uncertainty over when and how to complete the fit-out of the ground’s new grandstand

The goanna-shaped playground at Perth’s WACA Ground. Picture: Facebook

Perth’s WACA Ground has ­secured more than $5m for a playground and disability amenities, but still faces uncertainty over how it will fit out the new grandstand at the legendary cricket venue.

Outgoing WACA chief executive Christina Matthews on Tuesday described the giant goanna-shaped playground, as well as a series of features for disabled visitors, as the “icing on the cake” for the $163.4m redevelopment of the northern side of the ground. But it is a cake that still risks being served half-baked, with Ms Matthews confirming that the WACA was still weighing up the best way to deliver a final fit-out of the new ­facilities.

The WACA last September overcame opposition from some members of the organisation’s board to approve a plan to sign off on a redevelopment contract that would see the cricket body handed an empty shell.

Ms Matthews has said it would be more cost-effective for the WACA to identify other contractors to complete the final fit-out. How the WACA ultimately funded that work would depend on the final cost of the current redevelopment work.

“We’ll deal with that funding as we go along,” she said on ­Tuesday.

“If the program goes to plan, it will be covered by the contingencies that were in the construction contract. If not, we’ll be responsible for raising a little bit extra to finish those bits off.”

She said it would be inaccurate to say that the WACA had prioritised funding for the playground over other basic amenities, such as seats and toilets in the new grandstand, given the playground and disability funding had been ­secured through a grant from Lotterywest.

While WA cricket is in the middle of a golden era on-field, its ­administration has been marred by tensions between the board and its membership.

WACA board member Paul Collins – who blew the whistle on plans to not include urinals in the redevelopment – recently had his membership suspended for two months following an investigation into his behaviour.