‘Collaborative effort’ needed from Council to secure Cairns rectangular stadium at Barlow Park
A move towards a rectangular stadium in Cairns “will not happen” without full and clear support from council, according to a state MP.
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UPDATE MAY 31: A Cairns MP said moves towards a rectangular stadium in FNQ will not happen until Cairns Regional Council makes clear their support for the expansion to the State Government.
State MP for Cairns Michael Healy said if the community wanted to have tens of millions spent on a stadium to support and attract world-class events, it must start at a council level.
“Fundamentally, when a community wants something of this size, there must be a collaborative effort, such as we’ve seen with Cairns’ water security,” he said.
“But, as far as I’m aware, there has been no discussion in this space between the council and State Government and the support must come from Cairns Regional Council.”
Mr Healy said while any movement on a rectangular stadium front was slow, he was confident that a number of proposals to enhance regional structures would appear in the lead-up to the Olympics.
“Like most people, I would love to see an enhancement in our Far North infrastructure to provide more regional jobs and grow our economic activity,” he said.
“We’re talking beyond the two weeks of the Olympics, we want enhancements to ensure we can accommodate worldwide institutions coming to train and use our facilities and services.
“I’m certain our city will have growing infrastructure by the time the Olympic torch is lit.”
Cairns Regional Council CEO Mica Martin said the council was committed to furthering the city’s offerings as an events and sports destination through the development of a Major Events Precinct, which would focus on upgrading Barlow Park and Cairns Showgrounds.
“To deliver its vision, council will proceed with staged upgrades of existing infrastructure, starting with a $10m lighting upgrade at Barlow Park to meet broadcast requirements for digital television,” she said.
“This project will support the Queensland government’s ambition to use Barlow Park as a host venue for football matches as part of the 2032 Olympic Games.
“In regard to the Major Event Precinct, council is finalising its plans and detailed options will be formally presented to the Mayor and Councillors at the earliest opportunity to reach an endorsed council position.”
EARLIER, MONDAY 30 MAY: THE dream of a rectangular stadium for Cairns has been kicked into touch, with only a temporary fix in the pipeline for the Olympics.
Sport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the football preliminaries outlined as part of the bid documents were to be held at Barlow Park but the venue as it stood was fit for purpose.
“Barlow Park as it exists meets the requirements of the International Olympic Committee,” he said.
“We want to maximise the ticketing potential, while addressing what’s required for that event.”
The state government has committed to $40m to upgrade Barlow Park.
While planning is still to be done, the fix would include new lighting for broadcast TV, extra seating, more security and a temporary overlay expected to be put over the running track.
But it falls a long way short of the purpose-built rectangular stadium that many campaigners have been pushing for, as a lasting legacy for the region.
Mr Hinchliffe said the 2032 legacy for Cairns would be in pre-training.
“The role of the city is, it can be a pre-game training venue,” he said.
“If you have international athletes in the lead-up to Olympics and Paralympics and they come to visit the place. When they have their training camps, they talk about the place and it then raises the profile of the region.”
Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch, who has been an advocate for the new stadium from the beginning, said the project should be completed.
“As it stands at the moment it is only suitable for athletics, you wouldn’t be able to do anything else there,” Mr Entsch said.
“I would encourage them rather than put a band aid on it, let’s do it properly and let’s finish it. It should’ve been done a long time ago.”
Enterprise North executive manager Kevin Byrne said there needs to be a matter of urgency from the state and the council.
“There is a total lack of urgency with Cairns Regional Council about the redevelopment,” he said.
“The council officers are supportive of a concept that has already been supported by Warren Entsch, Tropical Tourism North Queensland and Michael Healy.
“This is a regional must have facility for Far North Queensland.
FNQ Football administrator Alex Srhoj said from a training perspective the pitch and the lights were paramount which is in the current upgrade plans.
“The negative has always been a running track, the overlay is definitely a positive,” he said.
“I think more of a long term plan needs to be made than sticking grandstands on a running track.
“Obviously the running track has served its purpose but we understand the spectator experience isn’t as good as what can be achieved from a rectangular stadium.”
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