The McGowan Government will contribute $300,000 to help develop a flat water slalom course on the Swan River at Garvey Park, Ascot.
The slalom course will be a training facility where introductory and skills courses can be run all year round.
The course will involve the redevelopment of existing facilities at the site which are part of the Ascot Kayak Club, the State’s largest paddling club.
Slalom courses generally involve a sequence of poles and cables from which ‘gates’ can be hung over the water through which paddlers navigate in a specific order without touching them.
As well as being a State-level training course, the new facility is expected to have capacity to host some slalom competition events.
Fundraising by the Ascot Kayak Club and Paddle WA will contribute the balance of the $350,000 project.
As stated by Sport and Recreation Minister Mick Murray:
“The current slalom training facilities at the site – which are essentially old clothesline poles set in the water – are more than 20 years old, in poor condition and woefully inadequate.
“Not only will the new facility help us train up our champions of the future, it will provide important jobs for tradies and contractors through the construction phase.”
As stated by Belmont MLA Cassie Rowe:
“I am thrilled that the State Government will fund this very important slalom project with the Ascot Kayak Club and Paddle WA.
“The Ascot Kayak Club is one of the largest sporting clubs in my electorate of Belmont. The club caters for members of all different ages, abilities and backgrounds, which makes it such a valuable asset to the community.
“This project will provide a much-needed upgrade to the AKC’s slalom training facilities, and give our future stars of the sport a course to hone their skills. It will also create local jobs during construction.”
