Redland considers Birkdale Olympic site for indoor sports centre

The Birkdale site of a venue for the 2032 Olympics will be considered when a bayside council assesses land for an Olympic indoor sports centre.

Redland City Council owns this land at Birkdale which has been earmarked for an Olympic whitewater venue but the council is including the land in the area in a study for an indoor stadium. Picture: Redland City Council

The Birkdale site of a venue for the 2032 Olympics will be considered when a bayside council assesses land for an Olympic indoor sports centre.

Redland City Council scrambled to start looking at the feasibility of building an indoor centre this week, after Logan City Council revealed it had secured funding for a $142.1 million Olympic-standard indoor sports stadium for use during the 2032 Games.

Redland decided this week to spend $150,000 to investigate sites across the city including the council-owned Birkdale land, where the state hopes to build the Olympic venue.

The investigation was agreed to two months after Redland mayor Jos Mitchell unsuccessfully raised the idea in July.

Capalaba MP Don Brown says Redland council is behind the eight ball in planning for an Olympic-standard indoor stadium.

Capalaba MP Don Brown said the council delays meant it had “missed good opportunities” and was “behind the eight ball” to get funding for an indoor stadium.

Mr Brown said he would wait for the council feasibility study before supporting an indoor sports centre at a whitewater venue at the council-owned Birkdale site.

“I don’t think it’s an ‘either or’ for a whitewater venue or an indoor sports centre,” Mr Brown said.

“It’s just up to council to figure out where they can put this indoor facility on their land.

“I believe there is land left over after the white water space is used as that only takes up a fraction of the Birkdale site.

“It’s good that the council has finally got the ball rolling on investigating sites, despite it being late and unfortunately missing out on a few opportunities to get different levels of government funding for the Olympics like Logan, Moreton and Chandler did.

“I’ve been calling on Redland council to do this for years but so far I have been ignored.”

Logan City Council has revealed it will build a $142 million Olympic-standard indoor centre. Picture: Logan City Council

The Logan indoor stadium, to be built on Jacaranda Ave, in Logan Central, will be the third indoor Olympic venue with Moreton City Council’s $205 million centre to be completed in 2028 at Mill Precinct in Petrie, and an indoor stadium to be built on state government land at Chandler.

One site that will not be up for consideration will be at Heinemann Rd, Mount Cotton after council infrastructure and operations general manager Dr Nicole Davis “categorically” ruled it out.

The council’s elaborate $200 million plans for a sporting hub on the Mount Cotton land were put on ice in August last year while the federal Environment Department assesses the environmental impacts of that project.

Moreton Bay council has already received approval and funding to start building an indoor centre for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics. Picture: Moreton Bay City Council

But Dr Davis said the study would assess every other suitable council site including the Birkdale Olympic venue, the Pinklands sports hub at Thornlands and the Cleveland Showgrounds.

“Everything is on the table … we will look at all opportunities, but also risks of an indoor centre for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics.

“Any indoor sports centre is going to be useful for the lead up (to the Olympics), but also a legacy for our community.”

The feasibility study will allow officers to assess and recommend sites for the council to choose from and endorse the most suitable, before time frames and costs are calculated.

Originally published as Redland considers Birkdale Olympic site for indoor sports centre