The City of Cockburn and the Fremantle Football Club have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalise their successful partnership in a win-win for the local community. 
 
As the proud home of the Fremantle Football Club, the City of Cockburn and the popular AFL and AFLW club have been working together for some time on a variety of shared projects.
 
Among these has been the hugely successful School Holidays Footy Splash event, a unique chance for local kids to meet Fremantle players while enjoying the ARC’s aquatic attractions, in an easily accessible central location like Cockburn. 
 
The agreement will enable the close partnership to expand on successful community-focused programs already in place to enhance the lives of local families, give the community better access to the Fremantle training oval and enable the expansion of community football opportunities. 
   
City of Cockburn Mayor Logan Howlett said strong partnerships were the foundation of shared visions and outcomes that would improve the quality of life for locals and visitors to Cockburn alike. 
 
“The MoU is a great opportunity and both the City and Fremantle have been working toward this goal for some time. It’s exciting to see some of the successful plans already executed and underway, with plenty more to come,” Mayor Howlett said. 
 
The partners are preparing for a $12m expansion to Cockburn ARC due to kick-off in late 2023. 
 
The expansion will include new changerooms for Fremantle's AFL Women’s team, spectator seating for up to 250 at Fremantle's Victor George Kailis Oval training ground at the ARC, a community changeroom with female and gender-neutral facilities, plus an extra 550sqm of gym floorspace to increase ARC’s membership capacity, along with 30+ new job opportunities. 
       
The City will contribute $6m with $2.85m coming from Fremantle, $2m from the State Government, and $650k from the WA Football Commission and the Australian Football League. 
 
“We are extremely fortunate as a Club to have meaningful and collaborative partnerships and our relationship with the City of Cockburn is a great example of that,” Fremantle Chief Executive Officer Simon Garlick said.
 
“To place a sporting club, such as the Fremantle Dockers, within a shared community facility is one the entire Club and the greater region of Cockburn has welcomed since we arrived in 2017.
 
“We are located in a region of huge potential and opportunity, and the City of Cockburn are a progressive, innovative and visionary local Government authority.
 
“We are so pleased that we are able to partner with the City on projects and initiatives that will provide significant outcomes for all stakeholders, including our local residents.”