A popular Melville reserve could be on its way to multi-million dollar upgrade, giving community sporting clubs a needed boost.
Councillors voted unanimously to approve the Morris Buzacott draft site development plan for public consultation. The plan details concepts for a major revamp, with 26 proposals to renew sporting infrastructure, improve built facilities such as changerooms and general site amenity and safety.
This included a $1.3 million investment to renew the 40-year-old Kardinya Tennis Club facilities that have been deteriorating for years.
Councillor Soo Hong said the tennis club had been a popular community spot since 1982, yet aging infrastructure had caused a serious decline in participation.
“In 2024, even as the courts were deteriorating, court hire bookings increased by 78 per cent with more than 3500 bookings in one year. That made Kardinya the fourth highest court hire venue in WA,” she said.
“The demand was clearly there, but the aging infrastructure could no longer keep up. Pennants Tennis has now stopped because of the condition of the courts. Five of the nine courts cannot operate at night due to lighting failures and surface deterioration, and two have been completely decommissioned.”
Camera IconSeveral sporting clubs that use Morris Buzacott will be included in the upgrades. Credit: Justin Benson-Cooper/The Sunday Times
Cr Hong said this had caused membership to drop from 165 in 2023 to just 64 in 2026 as the facility became less usable, which was not fair on the hardworking volunteers.
Upgrades will include renewing eight tennis courts, four pickle ball courts, upgraded LED floodlighting, renewed fencing, drainage improvements and additional parking.
This has been budgeted in the city’s 2026-27 capital works program, using about $1.2 million from the community facilities reserve. External grants through the CITS club night lights program and Tennis Australia national court rebate will contribute $104,953.
The club itself has approximately $175,000 in cash reserves. It will invest $45,000 into the project and another $45,000 into a sinking fund for future asset renewals.
“We cannot wait much longer – if we delay this project, we could face an 8 per cent increase in construction costs and risk losing approximately $105,000 in secured external funding,” Cr Hong said.
“Together, that puts more than $211,000 at risk for the city before we even consider the wider cost to the club and community.
“This project is about more than replacing old courts. It is about giving Kardinya Tennis Club a fresh start.”
The upgraded tennis club will provide a more flexible and accessible recreation space for the entire Melville community, and form part of the wider Morris Buzacott site development plan.
Currently budgeted proposals include $200,000 for changeroom and storeroom renewals, $24,000 for preliminary sports floodlighting design on the south oval, $100,000 for the Kardinya Community Hall air con installation and $100,000 for exercise equipment renewal.
Car park upgrades include $700,000 in 2026-27, and $250,000 proposed for 2027-28.
The Kardinya Netball Club will also receive new $1m storage and club room facilities, funded by a $900,000 commitment from the WA Government and $100,000 from the city.
Cr Nicole Robins said Morris Buzacott is different to other city reserves that have one central facility, such as Shirley Strickland, because it serves more than 10 user groups across a larger site.
“Morris Buzacott users are spread right across the reserve, each with their own needs and priorities. That is what makes this plan so important – it provides a coordinated approach to future development across the entire reserve, bringing together upgrades, refurbishments and redevelopment projects into one vision and one long-term plan for the site,” she said.
“It’s also important to recognise that adopting this plan does not mean that every project will happen immediately – rather, it provides a strategic roadmap that will guide future priorities and investment as opportunities and funding become available.”
Ten user groups have been consulted thus far, including the Fremantle CBC Football Club, Kardinya Netball Club, Lions Club of Bull Creek and Kardinya Primary School.
Cr Hong said using a site development plan over a traditional master plan offered a quicker and more flexible planning process to engage the community.
“This allows us to identify priorities, respond to changing needs and coordinate future investment in a more flexible and financially responsible way. We are already seeing increased demand on the reserve, with Kardinya’s population expected to grow and participation in some of our sporting clubs increasing significantly,” she said.
The draft plan will now be released for public consultation throughout September.