Demolition works have commenced on the WACA Ground Indoor Centre, marking another milestone in the WACA Ground Improvement Project.
First built for the 1974-75 season, the Indoor Centre was state-of-the-art at the time, and has served generations of Western Australian cricketers.
WA Cricket will honour the past while moving into the future with many of the jarrah roof beams being repurposed for integration into the new build, while the synthetic outdoor nets have been donated to Belridge Secondary College.
WA Cricket stalwart Geoff Marsh spent time reflecting on his memories of the Indoor Centre before demolition works commenced.
“I remember the days when I was first starting out as a kid at the WACA and I used to spend my whole hour talking to the great Norm O’Neill about cricket and eventually I’d get around to having a hit,” Marsh said.
“It’s got a lot of history of players going through it and when I sat there and reflected on the past, that’s what I thought about.
“Right up until the last few years players were in there all the time, and with our coaching staff now, Beau Casson spent every day in there with the players working on their technique right up to the day it was being torn down.”
Cricketers weren’t the only inhabitants of the Indoor Centre, a resident owl made its home in the rafters for several months, moving on before construction commenced.
“The owl was in there, but we think it’s flown away now with the roof off,” Marsh said.
“There have been quite a few birds live in there over the years, it was all part of the history.”
The WA Cricket Foundation is building our tomorrow through the WACA Ground Improvement Project, which will see East Perth transformed into a vibrant activated precinct that can be enjoyed year-round by the community.
The Ground will become one of the most welcoming all abilities sport venues in the country, complimented by the new Indoor Centre that will feature 10 lanes and be built to serve as a multi-sport and performance centre.
“We’ll be able to give every kid that walks through the WACA gates the opportunity to become the greatest cricketer they can, and we’ll have one of the most up-to-date facilities in Australia,” Marsh said.
“It will be great when its built and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Major construction works for the WACA Ground Improvement Project are due to begin in the second half of 2023, with completion set for late-2025.