Plan aims for renewal of Perth's Claremont Showground

The Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia (RASWA) has approved a concept plan for the renewal of the Claremont Showground.

The concept plan brings together the heritage of Claremont Showground’s agricultural history as well as providing inspiring modern facilities and open spaces for community access.

Since 1904, the RASWA has managed the Claremont Showground which is home to the Perth Royal Show and more than 250 community, cultural, sporting and corporate events each year.

The revenue earned by the RASWA, which is a not for profit and independent organisation, is invested into initiatives that support the Western Australian community.

The RASWA started work on the concept plan almost three years ago with a series of workshops and focus groups that asked stakeholders what they wanted from the site in the future. Stakeholders, including local residents, were clear about two things: the Showground must be retained as an asset for the community and it must remain the home of the iconic Perth Royal Show.

A concept plan for the Claremont Showground, developed by Perth-based architects Hames Sharley, incorporates an undercover verandah of elegant proportions which overlooks the main arena and provides access to exhibit facilities, a new grandstand, the potential for a living farm gate entry statement, a year round education hub, flexibility for a range of events and pop up activations as well as the agrarian environment so important to the RAS support of agriculture and education.

Confident that the concept plan will add value to the Claremont Showground, RASWA President Dr Rob Wilson said the objective was for the Showground to seamlessly integrate and engage with the community and visibly connect the community to education about agriculture.

Dr Wilson stated “our vision is to provide year round education opportunities for the people of WA to discover the importance of agriculture to our lives, our future and our economy.”

Dr Wilson said that Claremont Showground had been a hub for the Western Australian community for more than 100 years and that the 250 events which took place at the site each year offered recreational, sporting and cultural attractions for close to one million people.

“It is important to maintain and build on the unique relationship the Showground has with the people of Perth."

Dr Wilson said that the next step for the RAS was consultation with all stakeholders, adding "over the next eight to 12 months we will be seeking the input of government, industry and the community of WA.

“We are taking a long term view – one that will see the concept plan come to fruition over the next 15 to 20 years with the first stage completed within five years.

"This will give the RAS the ability to look at how we stage and fund the project elements."

The 2014 Perth Royal Show runs from 27th September until 4th October.

For more information got to the Royal Agricultural Society of WA website at www.raswa.org.au

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