Barlow Park: Cairns council’s sports and events plan including showgrounds
Land tenure queries relating to a major sporting and events proposal at Barlow Park have been raised as council moves ahead with a dream to create a multi-use events hub. Read what council plans to do.
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QUESTIONS relating to land tenure for interested parties connected to the major sporting and events precinct at Barlow Park have been raised as Cairns Regional Council moves ahead with a dream to create a multi-use events hub.
At a meeting of council on Wednesday a successful proposal was voted on to transform Barlow Park into a high-performance hub with regular training opportunities, sports tourism, education and commercial activity, partnering with stakeholders such as TAFE and CQUniversity.
To date no funds in the 10-year capital works program have been earmarked for the upgrades.
A unanimous decision to go ahead with the major sporting and events precinct could mean the sinking of a long-held vision to build a world class 20,000 seat rectangular stadium at Barlow Park pitched by Enterprise North chief Kevin Byrne.
In a glossy document, streetscape improvements, “flexible activity nodes” and a high performance athletes hub are mentioned but detail on any construction or stadium improvements are scant.
Division 9 councillor Brett Olds considered the newly proposed hub as a better way to get the most of a space.
“(Stadiums) are still designed like they were back in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s … and they cost a fortune for just a few activities happening,” he said.
“There’s got to be a new way of looking at … I think that’s what this vision will lead towards.”
Championing the idea Division 5 councillor Amy Eden told the meeting the hub was imagined as a meeting place for the benefit of the whole community.
Cr Eden said she had met with the Cairns BMX Club, Cairns City Kennel Club and the Cairns Show Association that use the area and reported positive feedback on the new plan.
“They are happy and happy because there’s been really clear and honest communication by council,” she said.
However, Division 1 councillor Brett Moller raised concerns about ongoing tenure of land previously cited by the Cairns Show Association as being a key factor in attracting future investment.
“There’s nothing in the report about tenure,” he said.
“It’s important to (the Show Association) to finalise it to get some certainty around tenure.
“And the motion refers to te10-year business case and master plan. I understand the master planning and we’ve got to fully understand where that might go and how that may shape up.”
Mayor Bob Manning acknowledged Cr Moller’s concerns.
“I don’t know Cr Moller when the tenure issue will be resolved, it has to be resolved as part of this,” he said.
“We are trying to put something through here and we need the ability to go forward.”
Division 7 councillor Max O’Halloran supported the plan for Barlow Park
“While we have procrastinated for 10 years we have missed out on lots of funding opportunities. We have a great idea, now all we need is some money,” he said.
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Originally published as Barlow Park: Cairns council’s sports and events plan including showgrounds
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