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ArkRoyal wrote: Baz: were they going to build something n Inglewood at some point?

Yep - They had a couple of plans, one was to acquire Perth Oval and make that WAFL HQ , I think Bayswater Oval was also talked about.

Instead they built the 3 tier in 1969 and then took out a massive loan for the 2 tier, both were cheap and poor quality, it also was done when interest rates ran off track and by 89 the debt became unsustainable, all on land they never owned.

Beasley Hutton wrote: Ideally we should have had a world class sporting stadium built somewhere near its current Burswood location back in the late 1950s for the 1962 Commonwealth (Empire) Games instead of that white elephant they built at Perry Lakes which has neither a rail line nor major thoroughfare road/highway within its near vicinity and which football (WA's biggest sport) could have negotiated to have taken over afterward.
All hindsight now and still would be a pipe dream if not for Barnett actually having the foresight to build 50 odd years later unfortunately.

You have to look at in context of the times, in 1962 car was king, and people wanted a greenfield site with a load of parking, the freeways were the latest big thing and massive carparks the way to go. Perry Lakes offered a park land setting with ample parking at the time. Trains in 1962 were on the way out, WAGR had a pretty run down system and didn't invest in new lines. MTT and buses were more the go and once again roads and parking the key.

The area of Burswood at the time was a total shit-hole, a tip and cement factory and was at the arsehole end of Perth, no one would of contemplated that location in 62.

I do agree that Barnett cut all the BS and made a great lanmark decision with the Stadium and Location.

Remember McGowan was going to roll it all back and end up back in Subi..FFS. Imagine that.It cost him the election and thank f@ck for that.

Bazza wrote:

ArkRoyal wrote: Baz: were they going to build something n Inglewood at some point?

Yep - They had a couple of plans, one was to acquire Perth Oval and make that WAFL HQ , I think Bayswater Oval was also talked about.

Instead they built the 3 tier in 1969 and then took out a massive loan for the 2 tier, both were cheap and poor quality, it also was done when interest rates ran off track and by 89 the debt became unsustainable, all on land they never owned.

I am not sure about the 3 Tier Stand but have read the 2 Tier Stand was built by Vince Yovich's building construction company, Vince was the WAFL President in the early 1980s although I think when the decision was made to build the 2 Tier Stand (circa 79/80) Jim Davies was the President at that time.

Southerner wrote: now that you mention Perry Lakes mate - not long after Football Park was completed there was some fair work put into building a similar Oval by the WANFL
Perry Lakes was seriously examined
the rapidly expanding Wanneroo/North , WACA even Gloucester Park

Yeah Perry Lakes was a strange one, they tried using it for a few things after, Rugby and Soccer was played there a bit, but they stuffed up in that the central pitch was never really quite large enough to be 100% suitable, a few concerts there as well.

As time went on the seating and facilities really deteriorated, the exposed wooden benches started to break up and the big scoreboards electrics were never maintained.

I remember going there in the 70s for inter school carnivals, and it was in OK nick then , it was basically 10 years old, but you could see it wasn't really being maintained even then.

By the 80s it was a white elephant , I think even the track itself was cracking up and sinking.

Shame really.

Beasley Hutton wrote:

Bazza wrote:

ArkRoyal wrote: Baz: were they going to build something n Inglewood at some point?

Yep - They had a couple of plans, one was to acquire Perth Oval and make that WAFL HQ , I think Bayswater Oval was also talked about.

Instead they built the 3 tier in 1969 and then took out a massive loan for the 2 tier, both were cheap and poor quality, it also was done when interest rates ran off track and by 89 the debt became unsustainable, all on land they never owned.

I am not sure about the 3 Tier Stand but have read the 2 Tier Stand was built by Vince Yovich's building construction company, Vince was the WAFL President in the early 1980s although I think when the decision was made to build the 2 Tier Stand (circa 79/80) Jim Davies was the President at that time.

Both were crap quality, the 2 tier slightly more modern, but built to a budget, the mere fact it was dropped to 2 tiers and then the second tier was pretty shallow depth wise anyway speaks volumes of the tight arses at the time. No doubt ripped off the price as well.

thanks for the good posts men, they made interesting reading

Baz et al, Did you not go to Perry lakes for the WWW with Jack Little doing the ring announcer with Killer Karl Kowalaski, a the Greek and others. I used ride from Scarborough and sneak under the wire. Had to get home before the old man woke up to go to bed, usually a little pissed. Never got caught!

Grump wrote: Baz et al, Did you not go to Perry lakes for the WWW with Jack Little doing the ring announcer with Killer Karl Kowalaski, a the Greek and others. I used ride from Scarborough and sneak under the wire. Had to get home before the old man woke up to go to bed, usually a little pissed. Never got caught!

When I was 13 - 15 my old man used to take me to watch WWW. For a young teenager it was great entertainment.

Grump wrote: Baz et al, Did you not go to Perry lakes for the WWW with Jack Little doing the ring announcer with Killer Karl Kowalaski, a the Greek and others. I used ride from Scarborough and sneak under the wire. Had to get home before the old man woke up to go to bed, usually a little pissed. Never got caught!

Yeah , I also remember they had some big events there during the States 150th Anniversary in 1979.

Dominic De Nucci
Skull Murphy
Mongolian Stomper
Buddy Austin
Ray Stevens
Mario Milano
etc
etc

Who could ever forget them - ham actors to their very souls.