One of Mandurah's oldest sporting clubs hopes its quest for a new clubhouse can be resolved sooner rather than later after cost blowouts put an end to previous plans.
Mandurah Mustangs Football and Netball Club, which was established in 1933, currently shares facilities at Rushton Park with Peel Thunder, who hold the license to serve alcohol, and members haven't had a permanent home of their own for more than 20 years.
According to Mustangs acting president Adrian Apolloni, in order to self-manage club events and activities under a volunteer model, the club needs to break its licence arrangement and find an alternative solution.
"We just want to be autonomous and able to operate as a club like any other in Australia," Mr Apolloni said.
In 2018, the Mustangs thought their days of cohabitation were over when they received City of Mandurah approval to build state of the art facilities at the northern end of Rushton Park, next to their existing changerooms.
The council agenda from August 2018 revealed the City would contribute $198,000 to the estimated $650,000 construction costs, with the club able to fully fund the rest through various grants and private investments.
However, logistic and compliance issues saw the project delayed, and then the shortage of building products during the COVID-19 pandemic saw costs blowout by about $250,000.
According to documents from the July 26 council meeting agenda, $235,936 set aside in the budget for the project would no longer go to the club as the "project is not proceeding".
Mr Apolloni said it was still very much the club's position to push forward with the project and said the club "always had reassurances" from the City that if it found the money the proposed building could go ahead.
He also called on all parties to come together to work with the Mustangs to find a solution.
"This has been an ongoing issue for more than 20 years, it's not new," he said.
"We have been a part of Mandurah for 90 years, the Mustangs are ingrained in not only Mandurah's football history but our local history too.
"While both clubs make the most of our arrangement, it is logistically difficult for both clubs sharing the same space and not viable long into the future.
"The club has been without a true home for far too long."
Club patron Sandra Muir said the Mustangs did not feel they were "asking too much to be given the same opportunity to be housed in our own building, as all the other Mandurah based clubs are".
A City spokesperson said the City was in continued liaison with the club and have invited it to present to elected members on October 18.
