FREMANTLE city ward candidate Adin Lang says it’s time to revisit the Fremantle Park master plan and create a new social and recreational hub in the city.

Mr Lang says the park should be better integrated with the nearby leisure and arts centres, particularly with a new joint club facility to be built that will house the local bowls, tennis and workers social clubs.

“How can we create something using the community assets, using the council-owned assets so that people can move between them with some ease of connection,” Mr Lang told the Herald.

“Perhaps they could look at whether you a membership at the leisure centre could be extended to the club facility.”

• Adin Lang says Fremantle Park could be much more.

Mr Lang says an upgrade to the leisure centre could be a key to encourage locals to return.

He’s already a deserter, saying LeisureFit Melville wins him over with its spa; and he reckons he bumps into more and more Freo locals there all the time.

“We lose $1 million a year for the leisure centre, and we could turn that around with a lift in membership.”

He says the centre’s cafe currently faces inwards, but could be opened outwards to attract more customers, which would make it a more attractive proposition for operators. He’s also keen to see ways private funds could also be attracted to make the transformation occur.

Mr Lang says with the clubs nearby, the centre could help address Freo’s dire lack of facilities for older people, and particularly ones where they can hang out near youngsters.

“Hanging out with younger people helps to keep people younger and healthier, particularly with their mental health.”

He’d also like to see market stalls at the oval, and says it would be great if the Portuguese Club, which is likely to move in next door, could be convinced to add its facilities into the mix.