Robina Olympic Games Athletes village ‘cannot be Smith Collective 2.0’

This giant multi-tower mega development will transform a central Gold Coast suburb within a decade, but there are already fears it will become “the Smith Collective 2.0”.

The state government cannot drop the ball like it did during the 2018 Commonwealth Games and turn an athletes village for the Olympics into a “dumping ground” for failed policies.

A new report and city leaders fear a 7ha athletes village near Robina Town Centre for the 2032 Games will mirror the horrors of the Parklands village and the built-to-rent Smith Collective model.

The proposed satellite Athletes Village for the 2032 Olympic Games at Collyer Quays in Robina.

A report developed by property consulting firm Urbis for Queensland Shelter (QShelter), which works to reduce homelessness, contains 52 recommendations on how the Olympics can “ensure economic and social benefits also flow to vulnerable Queenslanders” such as the homeless and First Nations people.

QShelter executive director Fiona Caniglia said the report featured case studies of previous events that “enjoyed economic returns from higher investment, yet saw negative impacts on vulnerable communities, such as mass rental evictions and relocations”.

The proposed satellite Athletes Village for the 2032 Olympic Games at Collyer Quays in Robina.

“Historically, Olympic and Paralympic Games have promoted social and affordable housing legacy opportunities but have rarely delivered in these areas and if we start planning and acting now, Brisbane 2032 has an opportunity to be the most successful Games of all time, leaving behind a legacy for all.”

Ms Caniglia warned the 2018 Commonwealth Games provided examples of what not to do.

“It is critical that we learn from past events and look for opportunities at a time when the state is in the grips of a housing crisis.

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“For instance, there are many lessons to be learnt from the 2018 Commonwealth Games’ experience, which unfortunately, due to lack of early planning, clear objectives and identified target outcomes, there was no social and affordable housing legacy for the region.

“Housing was not embedded in the legacy framework, and we know that post-Games conversion of an athletes village to build-to-rent models does not always translate into an affordable rental outcome.

The Smith Collective complex has struggled since its days at the Commonwealth Games village. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

“With Olympic Games’ plans already well underway for one of three satellite athlete villages, including one at Robina on the Gold Coast, there is so much to get right to ensure that does not occur again.”

The built-to-rent Smith Collective took over the former Commonwealth Games athletes village site at Parklands, but was plagued by low vacancy rates and poor conditions within the Health and Knowledge Precinct.

Cr Hermann Vorster. Picture Glenn Hampson

It has long been the target of criticism for failing to live up to expectations.

The state opposition argues little of the $1bn in promised economic impact from the Southport precinct had eventuated, leaving it as a white elephant.

Robina councillor Hermann Vorster, who has long campaigned for the athletes village to be designed for use as a retirement community and housing for the vulnerable post-Games, said it was critical that the Robina hub did not become “The Smith Collective 2.0”.

“What we cannot see is a vanilla residential development plonked down on that site and the last thing I want to see is Robina used as a dumping ground for the state government’s own policy failures,” he said.

“To my mind there is only one palatable housing outcome for this village site and that is it delivered as a master-planned retirement living and nursing precinct to give locals an opportunity to downsize into a location with a hospital, shopping centre and bus interchange on its doorstep.

“Experience tells us that those who are downsizing are more likely to have only one car, if any at all, so this outcome potentially means the least-possible traffic impact from the development, while freeing up larger family homes in suburbs.”

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