Gold Coast gymnastics community welcomes talks for 2032 venue
The Gold Coast gymnastics community say they welcome progress on talks with Mayor Tom Tate for a world-class gymnastics venue on the Gold Coast.
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The Gold Coast gymnastics community say they welcome on progress talks with Mayor Tom Tate for a world-class gymnastics venue on the Gold Coast.
The statement comes weeks after the Mayor responded to Gymnastics Queensland after the body said the sport had been snubbed in the 2032 Olympics delivery plan.
In an ABC radio interview at the time, Mr Tate said if Brisbane had “no intention of spending money” on the sport, he would “reach out” to Gymnastics Queensland (GQ) CEO Chris Rushton.
“We’ve got a facility up north (Coomera), we have the gymnastics facility near Pizzey Park,” the Mayor said.
“My intention is to build a new facility there (Pizzey Park) as well so there’s both north and south (options). Long term we’re building the arena at Southport and with that arena I think it will be fantastic if gymnastics is centrepiece on the Gold Coast, but that’s up to further discussion.”
Mr Rushton and Gold Coast Gymnastics Club general manager Ross Cunningham welcomed the chance to discuss the “exciting opportunity for the future of the sport” with the Mayor.
“The club has been located at Pizzey Park for more than 25 years, and obviously we’d welcome any upgrade to not only our Miami venue but also our facility at Coomera which was used to host gymnastics at the 2018 Commonwealth Games,” Mr Cunningham said.
“We’re keen to learn more about the Mayor’s plans because this redevelopment is pivotal for the sport’s growth and sustainability”.
Mr Cunningham said the Pizzey Park facility was in dire need of upgrade, while the sport needed more space to accommodate for its growing numbers which are anticipated to double by 2032 to 100,000 across the state.
“It is crucial that the club remain within the sports precinct at Pizzey Park,” Mr Cunningham said.
“During our discussions with council, we’ve asked that if a new venue was to be agreed upon, the club would require at least 4000-5000sq metres of land to accommodate our growing needs.”
Mr Rushton said legacy was pivotal for the sport, with the body committed to working with local and state governments to “ensure gymnastics continues to grow and contribute meaningfully to the community.”
However final decisions are still a year away with the Mayor telling the Bulletin on Tuesday: “The IOC are undertaking their 12 month review to finalise venues for 2032, so we are working to that time frame.”
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