Sunshine Coast sports hub criticised over social housing accommodation

A high performance Sunshine Coast sports hub has been criticised for a social housing deal, but its co-founder claims without it they were “going to go broke”.

Sports Hub co-founder Clayton Williams pictured during the construction of the Bokarina facility.

A multimillion-dollar sports facility on the Sunshine Coast has been criticised for turning its accommodation – originally intended for athletes and teams – into social housing.

The $27m Sports Hub at Bokarina struck a deal with the state government to use its accommodation for social housing during Covid-19 in 2020, a partnership which was extended from mid-2021 to mid-2024.

One commercial tenant, who wished to remain anonymous, said they felt “unfairly done by” because the housing was intended to support onsite businesses’ clients such as elite athletes and teams.

While they supported social housing for the community and especially during Covid-19, the tenant questioned if the extension was necessary.

The tenant, whose business had been impacted by the hub’s deal, said a better solution might have been to build a new space to shelter those in need while allowing businesses to “thrive”.

Sports Hub cofounder Clayton Williams said the intention of the hub’s 80-room accommodation was to support the clients of onsite businesses, but he said they had to pivot to keep it afloat during the peak of the pandemic.

PROGRESS: Shots and impressions from the soon to open Sports Hub Sunshine Coast at Lake Kawana.

Mr Williams said he made the decision to extend social housing at the hub in late-2020 while teams and schools were cancelling their bookings, saying the rooms were “empty”.

“We were going to go broke,” he said.

Sunshine Coast Infusion Therapies co-owner John Morris, who opened in the hub in December 2019, said he wasn’t financially impacted by the social housing, and supported it, despite it possibly having an “unfortunate” side effect.

“I don’t doubt it has affected other businesses,” he said.

While he supported the hub’s three-year extension, Mr Morris said there needed to be a long-term solution given there was a question mark around where those in need would go after the deal expired.

“It’s a higher problem for the whole community, not just this facility,” he said.

Co-founder Clayton Williams pictured during construction of the Sports Hub at Kawana.

Mr Williams said another motivator behind the extension was to support those in need of temporary accommodation because the hub was designed to serve the community.

Mr Williams, who supported and empathised with the onsite businesses, said the hub was still a fantastic facility for his tenants and its accommodation would eventually return to its intended use.

“We’re trying to do our best,” he said.

The Sports Hub at Kawana pictured during construction.

A Department of Communities, Housing and Digital Economy spokesman said the social housing opened in September, 2020 to offer support and temporary accommodation for people experiencing homelessness during the pandemic.

The spokesman said the housing, located at Lake Kawana Accommodation, was a partnership between its state government arm and community organisation IFYS Ltd, which was extended from July, 2021.

First look at the Sports Hub, Kawana, which is set for a VIP opening Wednesday.

The spokesman said the accommodation, previously housing travelling sports clubs and school camps before the pandemic, was important now and during Covid-19 for those “suffering housing stress”.