Ageing stadium fixes cost $1m a year
The WA Football Commission is spending more than $1 million a year keeping Patersons Stadium safe for spectators and staff.
As the ageing stadium enters its twilight years, _The Weekend West _can reveal maintenance bills have doubled since 2009 when AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou called it the "least adequate" stadium in the league.
WAFC chief executive Gary Walton said he hoped to keep the maintenance budget at $1.2 million until the Burswood stadium opened in 2018 but he would not compromise on safety.
"I think the first thing is we will keep the stadium compliant with our occupational health and safety accreditation - that's the most important thing," he said.
Extensive maintenance work was carried out at Patersons during the off-season, including a $30,000 harness and walkway upgrade for staff safety on the roof.
Carpets, seats and other furniture items were replaced, much of the stadium was repainted and almost $15,000 spent on the light towers.
Stadium management expects to get international health, safety and environmental management accreditation in the first quarter of this year.
The off-season maintenance work was bolstered by a $1.2 million audio-visual upgrade, which includes a new sound system and state-of-the-art big screen.
