Housing, sports facility upgrades critical to Geelong’s Commonwealth Games hopes

Geelong will play a key role if the 2026 Commonwealth Games come to Victoria, but the convention centre and Avalon Airport Train are among the projects that need to be rolled out faster.

The race is on to deliver key Geelong infrastructure projects before the mooted 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Committee for Geelong chief executive Jennifer Cro­marty said projects including the Avalon Airport train line and the Geelong Convention Centre should be finalised ahead of the planned Games.

Geelong is expected to feature heavily in the 2026 Games if Victoria is successful in its exclusive bid to host the event across regional Victoria.

Premier Daniel Andrews announced on Wednesday that his government had signed a heads of agreement with the Commonwealth Games Federation and Commonwealth­ Games Australia to bring the event to ­Victoria.

Ms Cromarty said Geelong had excellent existing infrastructure to support the bid.

“With only four years ­before the potential event, there is a big challenge to build new infrastructure as may be required,” she said.

“However, there are several key infrastructure projects in progress, in early planning ­stages or proposed that should be considered and expedited for consideration as part of this bid.”

Committee for Geelong chief executive Jennifer Cro­marty says Geelong has excellent existing infrastructure, such as GMHBA stadium. Picture: AAP Image/Joe Castro

Key projects identified ­include:

UPGRADES to Kardinia Aquatic Centre, sporting ovals and netball courts;

PURSUING existing business cases and proposals for an elite basketball and netball facility;

OPENING the Geelong Convention Centre before the start of the Games;

PUBLIC transport upgrades including trackless trams;

FUNDING to build a new rail station at Avalon Airport; and,

FINALISING the Geelong train station masterplan.

Ms Cromarty said the Games would also presented an opportunity to fast-track residential housing developments in the city.

Comm games

G21 chief executive Giulia Baggio said: “Not a dollar spent on the Commonwealth Games will be wasted”.

“The G21 region needs enormous investment in infrastructure to keep pace with the incredible growth we are ­experiencing,” Ms Baggio said.

“Housing, initially for athletes, sporting facilities, ­improved transport networks are all urgently needed and the Commonwealth Games would provide the impetus to quickly get on with this work.

“An athletes’ village or vill­ages would provide a brilliant opportunity to build affordable and key worker housing in central Geelong and around the region.

“We currently have a severe housing shortage, which is one of our biggest economic and social challenges.

“An athletes’ village could be converted to meet Geelong’s ambition to have 12,000 more residents living in the CBD.”

Western Victorian MP Bev McArthur said: “Geelong will need a thoroughly considered plan to make sure it gets the ­facilities it needs if the Melbourne bid for the Commonwealth Games is successful­”.

Originally published as Housing, sports facility upgrades critical to Geelong’s Commonwealth Games hopes