Locals want to sink bid for new Olympic whitewater site

Perth Now

7 hours ago

A plan to build a Brisbane 2032 whitewater venue has been rejected by an angry community amid calls for an Olympic drawcard to be held interstate.
The proposed Redland Whitewater Centre east of Brisbane is set to host canoe slalom in 2032 after the Queensland government rejected a recommendation to hold the event in NSW.
It looms as a major Brisbane Games attraction with champion sisters Jessica and Noemie Fox not ruling out vying for 2032 Olympic gold.
But locals believe they have drawn "the short straw" in a long-awaited 2032 plan, calling for canoe slalom to be hosted at 2000 Games venue Penrith, NSW.
"It has been forced upon the people of the Redlands city, we never asked for it," Birkdale Progress Association's treasurer Ross Spence told a Queensland parliamentary committee hearing on Monday.
The Redlands appeared to be one of the big winners of the 2032 venue plan that was finally unveiled by the Queensland government in March, more than 1300 days after Brisbane was named host city for the Games.
The whitewater site proposed at Birkdale features 8000 temporary seats and an integrated warm-up channel, providing Australia a much-needed world class canoe slalom venue.
But locals are outraged, citing financial and environmental concerns.
A community spokesman said the "damn" whitewater facility should be hosted by Penrith where it was "wanted", citing the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
At the LA Games, canoe slalom will be hosted about 3000km away in Oklahoma - almost triple the distance from Brisbane to Penrith.
"Not even the Americans are going to put a new whitewater facility in," Redlands2030 Inc president Steven MacDonald told the committee hearing.
"We could follow the example of our American cousins and move the damn thing somewhere where it's wanted."
A senate inquiry recommended Penrith as the "first and only choice" for a 2032 whitewater venue, raising concerns a Redlands venue may become a "white elephant".
The Queensland government rejected the concerns, opting to hold every 2032 Olympic event in the state.
Mr Spence feared a Redlands whitewater facility would become an ongoing financial burden after the Games, questioning its viability.
"A whitewater stadium is the short straw of Olympic venues," he said.
Mr Spence was addressing committee hearings to allow consultation on a bill giving the Games infrastructure authority power to override 15 planning laws, including environmental protection and heritage acts.
The laws will ensure Olympic venue construction is not delayed by potential legal challenges, with the final planning sign-off given to the state government, not local councils.
Locals also raised environmental concerns on Monday, saying the proposed Birkdale site was next to two state heritage-listed sites and bushland home to endangered wildlife, including koalas.
They feared Olympic construction not subject to planning laws might destroy the heritage sites and impact healthy koala colonies.
"By setting aside these laws and protections, the state government is choosing to deny democracy and the rights of communities everywhere to have a voice," Mr Spence said.
The proposed Redlands site will be only the second world-class whitewater facility built in Australia after the Penrith venue was constructed for Sydney 2000, becoming the Fox sisters' home course.
Peak body Paddle Australia was ecstatic about the plan, with CEO Kim Crane hoping locals would embrace the facility and help build competitor depth.
"We have been craving an additional course. We have been punching above our weight with one," Ms Crane told AAP in March.
"We will now be able to secure more international events - it's a real legacy."