Ballymore Redevelopment

[Adam84]

Start date apparently pushed back until early next year now, completion by early 2023. It’s still waiting on approval from QLD Govt, but RugbyReg mentioned this is expected soon?

Also of interest is that Ballymore might also become the location for Sports Climbing during the 2032 Olympics. As part of the master plan they intended to include rock climbing facilities, which could now support the Olympics also.

 

[RugbyReg]

Yeah. They were thinking off the back of the eastern stand. Personally I think a more scenic location at Southbank or one of the coasts would be a better option (for the climbing event).

Think approvals are in the Ministers office. It’s the last step.

 

[The Nomad]

The more boxes they can tick to get the Qld gov onboard the better. Don’t think the local member is exactly falling over herself to give rugby a leg up . Doesn’t really fit the party optic.

 

[Adam84]

Yeah. They were thinking off the back of the eastern stand. Personally I think a more scenic location at Southbank or one of the coasts would be a better option (for the climbing event).

Think approvals are in the Ministers office. It’s the last step.

sportsclimbing was only just rubber stamped for LA2028 this week so no guarantees it will be part of 2032 yet. Yes I agree southbank would be more scenic and a temporary facility is achievable, just depends whether they want to establish a permanent AIS/QAS sports-climbing facility prior to the games.

in either case the MID provides the overal master plan approval so there no commitment to build it, just the provision. I’m sure pushing that angle helps with the approval process though

 

[Adam84]

Would be a commercial climbing facility (like West End or Milton), with the ability to be used as a high-performance centre for the QAS/Olympic team.

Yes that was the original proposal with the Olympic AIS/QAS concept just been a value add since Brisbane actually won the Olympics

 

[Adam84]

revised master plan, a reduction in commercial space by 20,000sqm and removal of buildings proposed along Butterfield St.

 

[KevinO]

^^^That facility looks great, but will not be acceptable for International hockey. Besides changing the surface to a really expensive synthetic grass set up, you require 2 pitches with the exact same conditions facing Nth - Sth.

If the government does spend the money to move hockey to Ballymore, I'd be very skeptical that they will revert it back to rugby afterwards.

 

[RugbyReg]

^^^That facility looks great, but will not be acceptable for International hockey. Besides changing the surface to a really expensive synthetic grass set up, you require 2 pitches with the exact same conditions facing Nth - Sth.

If the government does spend the money to move hockey to Ballymore, I'd be very skeptical that they will revert it back to rugby afterwards.

the plan was never to move hockey to Ballymore. Just the host the Olympics there. It will be all overlay.

 

[Adam84]

^^^That facility looks great, but will not be acceptable for International hockey. Besides changing the surface to a really expensive synthetic grass set up, you require 2 pitches with the exact same conditions facing Nth - Sth.

If the government does spend the money to move hockey to Ballymore, I'd be very skeptical that they will revert it back to rugby afterwards.

They will have drop in pitches for the Olympics, QRU own Ballymore so it will undoubtedly be reverted back to rugby.

QLD Hockey have facilities elsewhere, just not suited for hosting large crowds, or in proximity to the city for an event like the Olympics.

 

[KevinO]

They will have drop in pitches for the Olympics,

That's my point, hockey pitches are not easy to drop in and out. It's not like your fake grass in your backyard, it's a massive project to install 2 fields with all the drainage involved for international pitches. These grounds are covered in a thin layer of water to keep the ball flat along the ground and not bouncing around. Pretty much the most expensive surface to prepare new for the Olympics.

Also will be required to be used for I think 3 years prior to the Olympics, they don't allow it to be a brand new surface that's not broken in. Rules in hockey for tournaments is going to have a massive impact on Ballymore leading up to the Olympics.

 

[KevinO]

the plan was never to move hockey to Ballymore. Just the host the Olympics there. It will be all overlay.

Won't work as the hockey goes for longer then 6-8 days and will kill the ground underneath. So far this system has not been used in a big event so I don't that International hockey will sign off on using it for the Olympics as it's there biggest event.

 

[RugbyReg]

Won't work as the hockey goes for longer then 6-8 days and will kill the ground underneath. So far this system has not been used in a big event so I don't that International hockey will sign off on using it for the Olympics as it's there biggest event.

Case Study - The Stoop — Big Stadium Hockey

www.bigstadiumhockey.com

with the greatest of respect, you know they don't just make these calls in isolation?

Even as part of the bid process they discuss with the national and international federation. Look it may not end up being at Ballymore for many reasons, but it's not like someone just said "hey there's a stadium lets put the hockey there"

If it is part of Ballymore part of the cost of the overlay that will be budgeted will be to return the fields to their previous condition. So it may kill the grass but it's recovery will be paid for, as will the upgrade of many support facilities.

 

[Members Section]

Case Study - The Stoop — Big Stadium Hockey

www.bigstadiumhockey.com

with the greatest of respect, you know they don't just make these calls in isolation?

Even as part of the bid process they discuss with the national and international federation. Look it may not end up being at Ballymore for many reasons, but it's not like someone just said "hey there's a stadium lets put the hockey there"

If it is part of Ballymore part of the cost of the overlay that will be budgeted will be to return the fields to their previous condition. So it may kill the grass but it's recovery will be paid for, as will the upgrade of many support facilities.

What a small world, I have actually worked along side them on a few construction projects down in melbourne & regional victoria.

I only thought they did tennis courts & local aths tracks

 

[Adam84]

That's my point, hockey pitches are not easy to drop in and out. It's not like your fake grass in your backyard, it's a massive project to install 2 fields with all the drainage involved for international pitches. These grounds are covered in a thin layer of water to keep the ball flat along the ground and not bouncing around. Pretty much the most expensive surface to prepare new for the Olympics.

Also will be required to be used for I think 3 years prior to the Olympics, they don't allow it to be a brand new surface that's not broken in. Rules in hockey for tournaments is going to have a massive impact on Ballymore leading up to the Olympics.

It’s the Olympics mate, building a new pitch isn’t an insurmountable task, yea it’s might be expensive, but it’s not going to be more then the cost of a new stadium which is why they’re doing it.

I really doubt the 3 year time frame also.. I’d be interested to see a source of where this is required for the Olympic hockey.

Edit: Google search suggests Tokyo hockey pitch was only laid within 12 months of the original Olympic dates

 

[The Nomad]

What Reg said. Hockey is easy enough (if expensive) to do at Ballymore for the four weeks of the Olympics and would revert back to being a rugby stadium afterwards. It wouldn't become a permanent hockey field, much the same as "Quins are still playing at the Stoop, despite it being the 2012 2 hockey venue.
The bigger issue is that a handful of locals are still trying to stop the redevelopment. They think Ballymore is their private dog park and are lobbying the local member.
So there won't be any rugby there if they get their way.

Spot on about the locals , plus the local member is Grace Grace , who’s unlikely to want to be seen doing rugby an favours. Hence the Multi use nature of the proposal. The more boxes that get ticked that aren’t rugby , the better the chance of the State Gov getting behind it . With everyone high on Olympic’s fever , you can understand the strategy regardless if it makes logical sense.

 

[RugbyReg]

Yep absolutely. She’s also facilitated a lot of meetings for the QRU with the ‘right’ Minister through the years.

 

[wamberal]

Yep absolutely. She’s also facilitated a lot of meetings for the QRU with the ‘right’ Minister through the years.

So good they named her twice!!!

 

[liquor box]

I still dont think that Ballymore will be used for Hockey, I cant see why the proposals from April wont come true.

Despite wanting to keep Ballymore for Rugby, maybe the best option would be to share a stadium at Perry Park with Soccer and utilise Ballymore for other money making ventures.

How hockey can help football share the Brisbane Olympic spoils

Brisbane football fans’ dreams for a boutique football stadium could finally be realised, with the help of another Olympic sport.

www.brisbanetimes.com.au

But the need for an Olympic-sized hockey venue for 2032 presents the perfect opportunity for Perry Park to be redeveloped into a boutique stadium, with a capacity of between 15,000 and 20,000, just a short Cross River Rail ride from the Gabba.

With hockey’s field dimensions similar to football’s, a new stadium at Perry Park would be a perfect-sized venue for Olympic hockey, but otherwise far too large for the sport. The field would simply need to be returfed after the Games.
Unlike Ballymore, situated in the midst of residential suburbia, it has the transport links, with every CityTrain line stopping right across the road at Bowen Hills station.

 

[Adam84]

The whole premise of the Brisbane Olympic bid has been keeping costs down and reusing existing facilities where possible.

Building a new $150million stadium for hockey doesn’t really fit within that premise, whether it’s reused for soccer or not afterwards. And the new NRL team will probably play at Redcliffe if they want a boutique stadium.

QRU can’t use Ballymore for other money making ventures outside of sports/rugby because it’s outside the terms of agreement for the land. Essentially they don’t have zoning approval for anything outside of sport and recreation. So QRU needs to make Ballymore a money money venture within the ‘sport and recreational’ approval.

Using Ballymore for hockey at the Olympic Games is simply an opportunity to extract more money for upgrades and improvements in the lead up to the games. Hockey could go elsewhere, but it won’t be a $100million boutique stadium upgrade.

 

[Ignoto]

I thought Perrin park was being touted as a new hub for the Roar and also the Womens Rugby World Cup bid in 2029?

I'd imagine with the above two facts in mind, it'd be an easy sell of 'reusing existing facilities where possible' as the 20-30k stadium isn't built for one purpose.