$6.5m Carseldine sport precinct is one step closer

WORK on a new $6.5 million sport and recreation precinct including soccer fields, tennis courts, playgrounds and more in Brisbane’s north is expected to start within weeks.

An artist impression of the Carseldine Urban Village.

WORK on the new $6.5 million sport and recreation precinct at Carseldine Urban Village is expected to start within weeks.

The precinct will include three soccer fields, two tennis courts, a half basketball court, cricket pitch and new practice cages, exercise equipment and children’s playgrounds.

The contractor, BMD Constructions, was appointed last week and the new facilities are expected to be ready for use before June next year.

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The Stage S precinct forms the first part of the Carseldine Urban Village, on the site of the former QUT campus.

This image from the Carseldine Urban Village Queensland Government Development Application shows the different stages of the project.

Member for Aspley Bart Mellish said the new facilities would be a great improvement over what’s currently there.

“Sporting and community groups will be able to start using the new facilities before the old facilities are redeveloped,” he said.

“As part of the upgrade we have also gone out to local sporting groups to discuss association model options for managing the new facilities.”

Aspley State High School principal Jacquita Miller is excited about the possibility of students accessing the new precinct.

“We have four fields here at the school but we’re a growing school and will continue to grow particularly as the Carseldine Urban Village grows,” Ms Miller said.

An artist’s impression of the Carseldine Urban Village.

“The new precinct offers an opportunity for us to field multiple sports at one time. The football fields are interesting because we have a strong football program.

“We’re a Net North soccer school so we host all the trials here and we host a lot of competitions for primary schools.”

Ms Miller said the new sporting precinct was about 300 metres “as the crow flies” from the back of the school grounds.

“If we were able to walk through from the back of the school and go towards the sporting precinct it would open up a great opportunity for people on this side of Aspley.

“If there was a proper walkway we could go there for PE lessons. If it was made safe and well lit more people would use it.

“It’s a great opportunity to link a back way from the school to that space and other sporting groups could link with our four fields here.”

An image from the new master plan for the Carseldine Urban Village development.

Earlier this year Baptist Football Queensland vice president Grant Newsome said he couldn’t wait for construction to start on the sporting precinct.

“The fields and facilities we use are in a tired state, and we are so excited about being able to use the new, purpose-built fields,” Mr Newsome said.

“I feel these new facilities are really going to bring new energy to our games and to our competition, and we’re hoping it will encourage more community participation.”

Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning Cameron Dick said the new precinct would also include 120 new carparks, LED flood lights, new toilets and change rooms, barbecues and shaded seating.

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Smart technology will also be included, including eSwitch which allow users to operate sports lights from a mobile phone, and smart rubbish bins that have solar powered compaction, holding up to eight times more waste than traditional bins.

For more information on the sport and recreational precinct or Carseldine Urban Village visit haveyoursay.dsdmip.qld.gov.au/Carseldine.