MacDonald Grandstand

Parent Place or Precinct

07403 Bassendean Oval

Statement of Significance

• R. A. McDonald Grandstand has historic value for its association with the establishment of the Bassendean Oval sports facility in the Inter-War period.
• The place has aesthetic value as an elegant and graceful example of the Inter-War Utilitarian style and is a rare example of a timber grandstand in the metropolitan area.
• The place has historic value for its association with local identity and inaugural President of the Swan Districts Football Club, Richard A. McDonald.

Physical Description

The RA McDonald Stand is similar to the Bill Walker Grandstand but can seat up to 1000 people. The stand is 3 storeys constructed from timber and steel. The roof is hipped and asymmetrical with corrugated zincalume single length sheets and colonial profile gutters. The walls are clad with large format smooth rusticated weatherboards. The eaves to the northern elevation are lined on the rake with a board material likely to contain asbestos. Windows are timber framed with two highlight fixed panels over and 3 panels under, which are 2 centre pivot panels and 1 fixed panel. Later additions include a bullnosed corrugated colorbond skillion roof to the western half of the northern elevation and a lean to, of corrugated colorbond, skillion roof to the east elevation. The southern elevation (Oval side) is grandstand seating with a central entrance between a flight of stairs within a recessed section of the grandstand. The weatherboarding to the bottom of the southern elevation has been replaced with corrugated colorbond sheeting. The roof structure is steel framed with timber purlins, the steel framing may not be the original fabric.

History

In 1901, Guildford Lot 196, Reserve 7401, was gazetted and initially set aside for “Government Requirements”, in 1902, the reserve was officially changed to “Recreation”. On 4 March 1904, the Bassendean Oval was vested in the Town of Bassendean. After the reserve had been partially cleared, a concrete cricket pitch was laid, followed by tennis courts and a shelter shed. In 1922, the West Guildford Road Board voted to change its name from West Guildford to Bassendean. In 1927, the first motions were made towards establishing a West Australian Football League (WAFL) football team at Bassendean, whose home-ground would be Bassendean Oval. In September 1929, the works for upgrading the Recreation Reserve to become an oval for league football were implemented, and a
contract was let for the clearing, grading and fencing of the grounds. On 7 December 1929, most of the works at the Recreation Reserve were completed, and Bassendean Oval
was officially opened by the Hon. Philip Collier, giving the Bassendean football team a home ground and headquarters. The opening of Bassendean Oval coincided with the centenary celebrations for the foundation of the Swan River Colony. The Bassendean Grandstand (later Bill Walker Grandstand) was opened at the oval in 1932. In 1934, Bassendean (PSA) was finally accepted into the WAFL (which had been renamed the West Australian National Football League (WANFL) in 1931) and played their first season in this year as Swan
Districts Football Club. On 12 February 1935, the first annual meeting of the SDFC was held in the Bassendean Town Hall. Coming off the excitement of SDFC making its first finals in 1937, it was not long before a second grandstand was needed to cope with the increasing spectator numbers coming to the oval on football days to support their local team. The SDFC made a request to the Bassendean Road Board that a second be built, larger than the first. Architects, Powell, Cameron and Chisholm designed the stand which initially had a seating capacity of 1000. On 23 July 1938, the new timber construction grandstand was opened, named the McDonald stand after Richard A. McDonald, the former chairman of the
Bassendean Road Board, founding member of the West Guildford Masonic Lodge and inaugural President of the SDFC (1934 & 1937). McDonald was also instrumental in getting the club into the WANFL competition. On 3 February 1980, a fire caused substantial damage to the McDonald stand, mostly to the underneath section where the bar, property and store rooms were located. The fire, which started in the western end of the stand, was reported to have been deliberately lit. By the end of March, the stand was re-opened, with some repairs, costing around $20,000, having been carried out with the replanking and repainting of the
outside and repairs to the seating. Since that time the grandstand has continued to be the venue for the football audience and has gained a reputation for the foot-stomping of Swan Districts Football Club fans, achievable due to its timber floors. The grandstand was included in the State Register of Heritage Places as part of the entry for Bassendean Oval.

Integrity/Authenticity

High
Moderate

Condition

Fair

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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