Sports agree to pavilion lease terms

All the co-tenants of the Centennial Park western precinct pavilion have finally agreed to lease terms with the City of Albany which will enable them to move into the new facility.

The Great Southern Soccer Association, Albany Cricket Association and Albany Junior Cricket Association have been in ongoing negotiations with the City regarding their community licences which were approved by the City council in August last year.

The pavilion was officially opened in November but the three associations had not formally signed leases because of “minor matters” regarding design, according to the City.

The three associations and the Albany Junior Soccer Association are set to co-share the facility during the winter and summer seasons.

City of Albany executive director commercial services Cameron Woods said the associations would now have full use of the facility once the lease was signed later this month.

“The City and the senior soccer and senior and junior cricket associations have been negotiating the licensing arrangements in good faith and both sporting codes have agreed in principle to signing a lease by the end of May,” he said.

“While the senior soccer season has started, the association has had access to use of the pitches and change rooms and are looking forward to use of the full facility by the end of this month.

“The cricket associations are also looking forward to their first season in the new facility when it commences.” Both cricket associations have never had formal clubrooms, while both soccer associations ended their 21-year lease agreement at the corner of North and Campbell roads in March 2014 but had remained at the location on a holding-over basis until the new pavilion was completed.

Great Southern Soccer Association president Bernard De Bunnetat said the association had agreed in principle to the lease arrangements after months of negotiations and the move to its new home was almost complete.

He said the association was looking forward to working with cricket and meetings had been positive.