The funding request submitted for this project in the 2019/20 budget process was not successful so a funding request will be resubmitted for consideration in the 2020/21 budget process.

Based on feedback received, the first draft concept for the former men’s shed site will need amendment. After this work is completed, it will be put back out for community feedback to ensure the key issues have been addressed and preferred aspects maintained. This is expected to be in early 2020 once the outcome of the nearby Main Roads WA (MRWA) project has been factored in.

Since work on this site commenced, MRWA progressed their proposal to upgrade the intersection at High Street and Stirling Highway, which has impacted the City’s former community facility at 26 Montreal Street. This has opened up the possibility (yet to be confirmed) for a joint community building and replacement golf course club house to be constructed in a new co-located facility. On 9 October 2019 Council resolved that this be investigated further.

This potential facility, bridging the redesigned Golf Course and Booyeembara Park, would service a large catchment area, supplementing Sullivan Hall, and could provide a range of benefits such as shared services and amenities, increased activation, larger capacity, improved passive security, shared car parking, reduced operating costs and efficiencies.

The proposed location for this facility is 700 metres (1 minute drive or under 10 minute walk) from the former men’s shed site so relevant input from this engagement will be considered, along with the wider catchment area, in this planning. The viability of the proposed facility will be known in early 2020 and in the event the project budget cannot deliver a proposed co-located facility, a report will be prepared for Council that considers a range of alternatives, including the potential upgrade of Sullivan Hall, as requested in some submissions on the former men’s shed site.

We will keep you updated on any proposed amendments or improvements to the concept as this project progresses.

Earlier this year a draft concept design was developed for the for the former men's shed site and this was open for feedback. There were 39 submissions on this and overall, 54% said it did not fulfil their needs and 46% said it did.

Key reasons for it not fulfilling needs: greater emphasis needed on landscaping and more trees; needs a new building; remove or reduce lawn. Minor alterations to elements included (such as benches) were also listed.

Key reasons for the design fulfilling needs: sound design / like the simplicity; like native trees / want more; like no building due to residential impact or duplication; like the stage and it needs power.

Other common themes across both groups were the need to connect Cower Mews to Watkins Street for pedestrians and consider accessibility.

Feedback from school students involved in phase one was: more play elements need to be incorporated; design is too plain; needs more trees. A multi-signature letter was also received requesting land be set aside for a building.

All responses are explored in more detail and available in full in the engagement update by clicking here or via the document library.

In February 2019 a draft concept was released for community comment.

It aimed to complement the surrounding area, existing park and the swale as well as provide as many functions identified by the community as possible.

View the concept below or download a copy.

Demolition of the building on site is now complete with the following materials removed from the site:

The City of Fremantle’s Parks & Landscapes team will request funding in the 2019/2020 budget to design and construct a flexible green space that covers a range of identified uses. The budget outcome will be known in July 2019, but in the meantime the landscape architects can progress with the draft.

The input from community engagement (sketches, designs and ideas) will be used to develop the concept and it will be open for feedback and amendment. The site can accommodate many of the preferred uses for the site, including 'landscaping, seating, native elements', 'space for organised outdoor activities' and 'multi-use, multi-generational outdoor hub'. To see the outcomes and assessment in further detail please read the November 2018 engagement update.

The City does not commence engagements from 15 December and into the January holidays to ensure everyone has the opportunity to participate, so engagement on the draft will be open at the end of January / start of February 2019. If you've participated in the engagement already or live near the site you will be updated on this. Updates will also be provided on this project page.

Work on site will commence on Monday 19 November 2018 and conclude the week commencing Monday 3 December 2018. To ensure public protection at all times, the site will be fully fenced including a mesh barrier with access being restricted only to authorised personnel.

The building contains considerable amounts of asbestos sheeting, being on the external roof and walls and internal ceilings and walls, all of which is non friable (meaning fully contained) and is deemed to be of a ‘moderate only’ risk. This will be removed by hand by a specialist licenced contractor commencing with the internal ceilings and walls followed by the external elements. As an added safety precaution, the City of Fremantle has engaged a licenced contractor to independently undertake asbestos dust monitoring throughout the asbestos removal process. This company has been given the authority to stop the works should levels approach the upper range of the acceptable limit and order immediate remedial action prior to continuing the works.

It is a requirement of the contract to protect all verge trees throughout the works and to retain all existing trees on site. After the works are completed and the site raked clean, the City of Fremantle will install mulch over the site to minimise dust in the coming months.

Whilst we can expect some minor disruptions to traffic flow and some inconvenience to the general amenity in the short term we expect this to be minimal. We thank you in advance for your patience during this time.

For any further information please contact Paul (Project Officer – Buildings) on info@fremantle.wa.gov.au or ph: 9432 9999.

The online survey is now closed and we are compiling the results of phase two. We will provide an update on the next steps once we have completed this process.

Thanks to everyone who attended the community workshop last weekend at Sullivan Hall. The five groups have provided a range of valuable information to guide the future of this site.

For those who couldn't be there, or may have more to add, online responses are now open! Please complete the phase two survey by 5pm 7 September 2018.

The Community Engagement Report, summarising the feedback received during our community engagement on the former Men's Shed site in July 2018 is now available.

Read the report:

Community engagement report - phase 1

Thank you to everyone who submitted information on uses for the former Men's Shed site.

We are currently compiling the information and will present this on My Say Freo from 24 July and at White Gum Valley Primary School on 28 July.

To register for the community workshop on 11 August click here (RSVP close 6 August).