A Canning cadet group is expected to maintain use of its hall after the City of Canning council voted to offer a three-year extension on the club’s lease.
The council voted on extending the Training Ship Canning Navel Cadets’ lease during its May 16 meeting after some councillors debated the area was being under-utilised in its current form.
TS Canning Navel Cadets has operated out of the hall on Centenary Avenue in Wilson since 1986.
The club was recognised as the most efficient naval cadet group in WA in 1983 while operating out of a different venue and in 1984 it was the most efficient in Australia.
The hall, which is only used by the cadets, is on the edge of the Canning River, across from the Centenary Park open space in Wilson and is currently on a $350-a-year lease with the city.
The council voted on whether to extend the club’s lease on the building to give time to review the land’s future use.
Deputy mayor Lindsay Holland foreshadowed the motion and asked the city’s chief executive to seek expressions of interest from the community to co-share the facility if the vote did not pass.
On the substantive motion councillors Pauline Tarrant and Christine Cunningham had opposing views.
Councillors Tarrant and Cunningham were both representatives of the Beeloo ward, which the hall is located in.
Ms Tarrant said she was concerned the land was being under-utilised in its present form and wished the area would be made available to more than just the one group.
“It’s only used by a small number of people for a small amount of time each month,” she said.
“I think there’s potential for us to explore further shared usage with other groups.”
Ms Tarrant voted against extending the club’s lease
Mrs Cunningham supported extending the lease despite acknowledging there may be room to improve the area’s usage.
She said the council was stuck between holding onto historic relationships and embracing the future.
“We are keen as a council to activate our sites and maybe some of them are under-utilised,” she said.
However she said it was best to follow the recommendation to extend the lease.
The council eventually voted seven to four to extend the lease by three years.
Councillors David Brown, Jesse Jacobs, Lindsay Holland and Pauline Tarrant voted against.
