City leaders, stakeholders back concept to turn old Toowoomba Hospital site into future stadium, convention centre
Some of Toowoomba’s leaders and stakeholders have backed a new vision for the old hospital site, after the state government confirmed it would not be needed for its current use.
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Toowoomba’s current hospital site could be home to a landmark stadium and conference centre, in what would be a transformational project for the city’s centre.
Some of the city’s leading lights, including businessman John Wagner, have backed a concept that was sparked following the state government’s announcement last week it would ditch the present two-campus model for the new Toowoomba Hospital and relocate it all to Baillie Henderson in Cranley.
This move, which has been broadly but cautiously welcomed by stakeholders, has created a wave of new opportunities for the current 7.5-hectare site on Pechey Street – known as The Base.
Treasurer and Toowoomba South MP David Janetzki revealed the government would undergo consultation with the council, developers and the community to find the highest and best use for the Base in what he called a “rare opportunity”.
“People have raised everything with me over the last few days including affordable housing, mixed commercial use, a convention centre, a water park and sporting facilities,” he said.
“The challenge is to reach a community-wide consensus – just like we did with the equestrian centre – and then everyone can get to work to see it delivered.
“There will need to be significant consultation with the council and the private sector to identify the best use of the site and that will take some time to complete.”
The most attractive plan held by several stakeholders is a new rectangular stadium and convention centre.
Such a project would not only deliver Toowoomba an asset it doesn’t have but currently needs according to demographers, but also replace the ageing Clive Berghofer Stadium that is reaching the end of its life.
Mr Wagner, whose family was responsible for some of Toowoomba’s biggest private projects such as Wellcamp Airport, renewed his desire for suitably-sized sports venue at the Base.
“The old stadium up there in East Toowoomba is grossly outdated, it’s a disgrace, there’s no parking,” he told News Corp.
“That old Toowoomba Hospital site could actually house a stadium and a convention centre — it’s ideally suited to a public-private partnership with the council.
“We’ve got three state government MPs and two federal guys, the state could gift it to the council on the basis that council did something decent with it.”
Mr Wagner said Clive Berghofer Stadium, which is owned by the state government, could then be sold to create residential units overlooking Toowoomba’s premier green space Queens Park.
“If you look at that current stadium site, the smart thing would be to turn it into a high-rise residential and commercial area. it would lift that whole end of town that’s pretty tired,” he said.
“You imagine 400-500 apartments, with associated commercial land and activity and appropriate carparking.”
Mr Wagner’s vision was shared by federal Groom MP Garth Hamilton, who believed the city had a generational opportunity on its hands.
“What this sets us up for is a great opportunity to get a fantastic piece of land and turn it into something really special,” Mr Hamilton said.
“I genuinely think we have to do this properly, we have to come up with the right solution, but we can’t play small with this — this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity.”
Mr Hamilton’s main challenger Suzie Holt was even more emphatic in her assessment, citing the successful inclusion of the Toowoomba Equestrian Centre into the 2032 Olympics as an example of the benefits of the unified strategy.
“This could be a game changing opportunity to make Toowoomba an iconic destination for sports, entertainment, the arts, conventions, exhibitions, multicultural events and other community uses,” she said.
“It is an opportunity ripe for public private partnership funding, which provides a balanced approach to risk sharing, and allow for innovative legacy driven outcomes to be realised on a budget.”
Former Darling Downs chairman Mike Horan, who had long envisioned the Base as the future home of a new medical research centre, said the LNP’s change of direction made Baillie Henderson the ideal space for that new venture — again opening up Pechey Street as a clean slate.
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Originally published as City leaders, stakeholders back concept to turn old Toowoomba Hospital site into future stadium, convention centre
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