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As the owner of Mount Lawley Pest Control, I know our city’s landmarks well. Some are defined by their current name, but others, like the venue in Mount Claremont, are known just as much by their past. For many of us, it will always be Challenge Stadium.
While its name has evolved—from its origins as the “Superdrome” in 1986 to its current title as the “Perth High Performance Centre”—the name “Challenge Stadium” holds a special place in the memories of a generation of Perth sports fans. It was the name that defined the venue for nearly two decades, from 1996 to 2014, a period that saw some incredible sporting moments.
For basketball fans, it was “The Jungle”—the intimidating home court of our beloved Perth Wildcats. I have vivid memories of going to games there, the small, packed-out arena creating an atmosphere that was absolutely electric. The energy from the crowd was infectious and made it a fortress for the team. It was the heart and soul of the Wildcats’ golden era before their move to the city.
Beyond basketball, Challenge Stadium was a hub for world-class aquatic sports. The outdoor pools are internationally renowned, and they’ve hosted some of the biggest names in swimming. We’ve seen incredible races and records broken here, including at the FINA World Swimming Championships in both 1991 and 1998.
Today, while the name on the building has changed, the spirit of the venue remains. It continues to be a crucial part of our city’s sporting and recreational life, offering state-of-the-art facilities for everything from competitive diving to group fitness classes.
In my line of work, you learn to appreciate things that stand the test of time and adapt to changing needs. “Challenge Stadium,” or whatever you choose to call it, is a perfect example of that. It’s a place that holds a lot of history for our city, and it continues to be a vital space for health, fitness, and sport in Western Australia.
If you love sport and recreation as much as I do, and you want to live the bug-free live that you deserve, call Glenn on 0410 581 108. We also have a website with a whole lot of podcasts related to insect and rodent pests, located at mountlawleypestcontrol.com.au
