Plans for surf park on site of Domain Stadium

With increasing uncertainty surrounding the future of Domain Stadium after the new Perth Stadium opens in 2017, an ambitious $120 million plan has been revealed to turn it into an artificial wave lagoon.

The Western Australian Government, which has funded the new Stadium, is keen encourage the Western Australian Football Commission to relocate to the WACA Ground as of 2017.

While no plans for the Domain Stadium and its site have been invited, Perth newspaper The Sunday Times, has revealed a concept for The Subiaco Surf Park, a joint venture between Subiaco-based architects MJA Studio and international surf park company Wave Park Group.

The concept combines wavegarden surfing lagoon, elevated parkland, market space, a permanent home for the WA Football Hall of Fame and a residential apartment development.

The surfing facility would be a 300 metre long by 120 metre freshwater lagoon using ground-breaking the Wave Park Group’s wave generating technology.

It would reportedly have six zones with different sized waves catering for everyone from beginners to professionals.

While Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett has previously said Subiaco Oval should be demolished the Western Australian Football Commission still has 77 years to run on a 99-year lease for the venue.

The quest to create artificial surfing wave attractions saw a proposal released for a venue in Melbourne’s Docklands last year.

However, creating artificial waves, a goal for many surfing enthusiasts, has been problematic in the past.

Artificial surf reefs in marine environments, pioneered in New Zealand, have proved a failure while the Surf Snowdonia attraction in Snowdonia, North Wales – opened to considerable fanfare earlier in August using Wave Park Group technology – has suffered a series of closures.

The attraction has endured repeated faults including breakdowns in the wave generating machinery, water leakage from the lagoon pool and other mechanical issues.

Images: The concept for The Subiaco Surf Park (top) and young surfers testing the wavegarden at its test facility near San Sebastian in the Basque Region of Northern Spain (below).

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