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Ballymore Redevelopment

Jets

Paul McLean (56)
Staff member
It seems like it's just another use of Ballymore to try and get some votes at an election. I would have thought that spending some money to create some jobs would be good at this time for a labor government, I guess it's the wrong code.
 

Adam84

Nick Farr-Jones (63)
Qld Govt is now in caretaker mode for the upcoming election, so now we just have to hope there’s a funding commitment during the election for Ballymore...
 

Adam84

Nick Farr-Jones (63)
QLD Labor government are set to announce $15million commitment for upgrade, matching the $15 from the fed government, now we just need bipartisan support from the LNP and the project can finally be locked in.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sp...y/news-story/9e7649f4891f9b78011c92c25a62573a

EDC7FE6F-EAC9-4947-9FFF-68A89129D63C.jpeg
 

Jets

Paul McLean (56)
Staff member
From reading this it sounds like its a done deal. Any chance it was approved but they asked to delay the announcement to help with the election?
 

Adam84

Nick Farr-Jones (63)
Interestingly it looks as though they are only demolishing the McLean stand and the stand near the creek.

[youtube]

The State’s $15 million commitment matches the existing commitment by the Federal Government towards the Queensland Rugby Union’s (QRU) new high-performance centre.

Rugby Australia has today confirmed the Buildcorp Wallaroos would move to Brisbane to join the St.George Queensland Reds in the NRTC once it is finished in 2022.

The stunning $30 million high-performance centre will replace the McLean Stand and become the centrepiece of a redevelopment of Ballymore as an elite sports precinct.

Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan thanked the Palaszczuk Government for its commitment to rugby union.

“Rugby in Queensland is incredibly strong, with growth in all forms of the game,” he said.

“The NRTC is an exciting project, providing a world-class facility with warmer temperatures as the new home of the Buildcorp Wallaroos.

“It is a major coup for Queensland, which is establishing itself as a national centre of excellence not just for Rugby, but for many other major sports including cricket and netball.

“Rugby Australia recognises the Government’s sports strategy, which is why we want to bring more high-quality events to the State.

“We have another British and Irish Lions tour in 2025, which has the potential to bring more than $40 million into the State from touring fans. Having a world-class training facility can only help Queensland secure these events.”

The NRTC will see Rugby Australia move the headquarters of its women’s XVs program to Queensland, helping to inspire a new generation of female sporting talent. The NRTC will also house the Queensland Reds and the QRU’s academy program as well as other programs including referees, club rugby administration and representative programs.

The redevelopment includes an integrated 3000-seat stand replacing the McLean Stand’s capacity.

QRU Chief Executive Officer David Hanham said: “This is the culmination of many years of work by the QRU to deliver a world-leading high-performance centre that meets the needs of our rugby community.

“Moving our national women’s XVs program to Ballymore will allow female participation to continue to thrive – Queensland now has more than 16,000 women and girls playing the game in Queensland and that’s expected to double in coming years.

“As Queensland prepares major sporting events such as Rugby World Cup bid 2027 and the Olympic bid for 2032, Ballymore will become critical sporting infrastructure to support these events. This will also include the aspiration to create new links across Enoggera Creek with the Newmarket sporting fields that would deliver a sporting complex of more than 100 hectares, less than 5km from the CBD.”

The National Rugby Training Centre

The stunning NRTC has been designed by Michael Rayner of Blight Rayner Architects, who are also responsible for the New Performing Arts Complex (NPAC) at Southbank.

It will feature an integrated stand, replacing the existing McLean Stand which was first built in the 1968 and extended in the 1970s.

Spread over almost 4000 square metres, it will feature changerooms for up to 100 men and women and house cutting edge sports science and recovery facilities.

Construction is due to begin in April 2021.

https://reds.rugby/news/2020/10/13/ballymore-state-funding
 
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Adam84

Nick Farr-Jones (63)
I’m a bit confused though, is this a commitment by the current government, or a re-election promise. Because there is a big difference between the two. It reads as a commitment by the current government, which I didn’t think was possible since they’re in caretaker mode.
 

Sully

Tim Horan (67)
Staff member
I’m a bit confused though, is this a commitment by the current government, or a re-election promise. Because there is a big difference between the two. It reads as a commitment by the current government, which I didn’t think was possible since they’re in caretaker mode.

It's an election promise.
 

Adam84

Nick Farr-Jones (63)
Received the following response from Pinky Singh, the LNP candidate for the Ballymore electorate. I’d encourage all rugby supporters to email her and express interest in the LNP matching Labor’s funding commitment for Ballymore!!

mcconnel@lnpq.org.au

Thank you for the email.

I am aware that the Federal Government announced some generous federal funding for the proposed National Rugby Training Centre, which is a great outcome. I am also supportive for what a terrific outcome that will be for the thousands of women who play rugby and associated sports.



I am also aware that the local community want an outcome that allows better access for the community to some of the beautiful green spaces that are associated with the area.



We will continue to make commitments throughout the remainder of the election campaign and I appreciate your interest in this project.



Kind regards



Pinky
 

RugbyReg

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
I am also aware that the local community want an outcome that allows better access for the community to some of the beautiful green spaces that are associated with the area.

what beautiul green spaces? Just the fields that the QRU maintain?
 

Ignoto

John Thornett (49)
Received the following response from Pinky Singh, the LNP candidate for the Ballymore electorate. I’d encourage all rugby supporters to email her and express interest in the LNP matching Labor’s funding commitment for Ballymore!!

"I am also aware that the local community want an outcome that allows better access for the community to some of the beautiful green spaces that are associated with the area."

That's a bit rich considering Vic Park is turning into a massive new park and the residents also have access to Finsbury and Downey Park.
 

Adam84

Nick Farr-Jones (63)
Maybe I misread it, but I didn’t interpret it as a negative comment, just that they want to better connect it with the green spaces like Downey and Finsbury Park on the other side of the river.
 

TSR

Mark Ella (57)
I am concerned the second part means she wants to see change to the access/use/configuration and reduce the scale.

I’m note sure if it there is any serious risk of that, so maybe I am reading too much into it. But isn’t there a significant portion of the local residents who largely oppose even the current level of use of Ballymore?
 

Adam84

Nick Farr-Jones (63)
I am concerned the second part means she wants to see change to the access/use/configuration and reduce the scale.

I’m note sure if it there is any serious risk of that, so maybe I am reading too much into it. But isn’t there a significant portion of the local residents who largely oppose even the current level of use of Ballymore?


In an extreme sense it's a possibility, but given the terms and arrangement of the DOGIT under which the land is leased to the QRU it would be a pretty complicated and controversial process.

I think if something were to happen with them opening up some of Ballymore for the community, it would be done in partnership with the QRU and not simply by revoking the DOGIT, and it may just be a terms of the funding that they make some of the land available for a bridge across or something like that.
 
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