The North Mandurah Football Club (NMFC) was established thirty years ago, but they’re yet to find a home ground.
However, local member David Templeman has promised that if the Labor party is elected to state government in March, there will be a funding commitment of $2.5 million for the new joint sporting facility to be based at the future Lakelands High School campus.
NMFC president Judy Elphinstone said Mr Templeman’s promise came as good news to their club, which she hopes will become the anchor tenant of the facility once it’s built.
“We want our own facility, we want a place to call home, somewhere we can grow and develop our youth and juniors,” Ms Elphinstone said.
Currently the club uses the grounds at John Tonkin College, but with growing numbers and both boys and girls teams they do not have enough playing areas or change rooms.
“Auskick is huge at the moment, probably more than 150 kids, and we’ve just opened up at Lakelands Primary School, so we now have two Auskick centres,” Ms Elphinstone said.
“At the moment we’ve got around 360 kids playing all up, that’s from pre-primary age right up to year 12’s.”
Mr Templeman said the funding promise for the Lakelands sporting facility was important for the North Mandurah suburbs of Lakelands and Madora Bay because sporting facilities at the new high school site are very much needed.
“Other codes will of course be able to share the grounds for winter and summer sports but I am keen for the City of Mandurah to confirm the North Mandurah Junior Football Club as an anchor tenant,” Mr Templeman said.
The new Lakelands High School’s completion is expected for 2019.
