No home resumptions as Olympic warm-up venue plans take shape

The transformation of an inner-southside park into a temporary Olympic warm-up venue has again come under fire, despite assurances no homes would be resumed to make way for facilities.

Raymond Park, next to the Pineapple Hotel, provides residents with public green space and also serves as home of the Kangaroo Point Rovers Football Club.

Raymond Park (foreground) is about 500 metres from the Gabba stadium.Credit: Google Earth

But during the 2032 Games, the park will be commandeered by athletes preparing for track-and-field events at the nearby Gabba.

There had been fears homes would have to be resumed to make way for the temporary warm-up facilities, but Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee president Andrew Liveris confirmed on Monday the state government would not force anybody out of their homes.

“Heritage structures within the park will remain in place, and the Queensland government will work with the local football club to build a new clubhouse within Raymond Park,” he said.

“Importantly, there are no expected impacts for Raymond Park until much closer to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“We are committed to being good neighbours to the residents of Raymond Park and will work closely with the Queensland government to ensure the community is kept informed of planning and progress over the coming years.”

Plans for the Raymond Park Olympic warm-up facility at East Brisbane.Credit: Facebook - Amy McMahon MP

Local Greens MP Amy MacMahon said, despite the lack of resumptions, she was shocked at the scale of the proposed development.

“We’ve gotten word today that it’s not just the eastern end of Raymond Park that will be ripped up for an athletics track, but the entire park,” she said.

“Even people whose homes might be spared aren’t convinced. Residents I’ve spoken to this morning are still furious, and have still had no communication from the government.

“...This community is going to keep fighting, keep campaigning, keep reaching out to everyday people right across the state until we save our school, save our park, and redirect nearly $3 billion to healthcare and housing, instead of a single sports stadium.”

Traditionally, warm-up tracks have been adjacent to Olympic athletic venues, so the 500-metre journey to the main venue will be an anomaly for this millennium.

But a lack of space around the Gabba, which will be rebuilt at an estimated cost of $2.7 billion, meant such a stadium-adjacent facility was impossible.

Instead, athletes will warm up in Raymond Park, about 500 metres north of the stadium.

The Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee would be responsible for the construction of the temporary four-lane track, with a six-lane straight and warm-up facilities.

It would also manage operations around the Raymond Park precinct during Games time.

“Thank you to the residents of Raymond Park and the community of Woolloongabba for their patience over the past year, while authorities have worked to progress planning on the athletics warm-up facilities,” Liveris said.