Ballymore Redevelopment

Ballymore Stadium

Although the QR Reds now play their Investec Super 14 matches at Suncorp Stadium, Ballymore retains its iconic status as the spiritual home of Queensland Rugby. The ground is still used for hundreds of games during the year, from the Queensland Premier Rugby finals to the junior state championships and grand finals.

Ballymore is probably the most valuable asset in Australian Rugby: neither the ARU nor any other rugby state has anything like it. However annual maintenance costs are a significant drain on QRU financial resources and a way has to be found to preserve this sporting asset for the future.

On May 11, 2010, Brisbane City Council approved a Development Application first lodged in 2008 which provides for a improvements including a pool, additional field, sports medicine facilities, bike and walking tracks, a new gymnasium and a new field.

Queensland Rugby CEO Jim Carmichael said having clear parameters on what would be permitted allowed the organisation to properly refine its model for redevelopment, including funding options.

He said while development approval was an essential part of the process, key decisions still had to be made before the first sod can be turned on any redevelopment.

“The economic climate has changed substantially since we first lodged our application in September 2008, so only now that we have approval can we finally undertake the next level of evaluation and planning,” Mr Carmichael said.

“Our paramount objective is to conserve Ballymore as the heart of both elite and community rugby in Queensland, whilst continuing to be a valuable community and sporting precinct.”

Mr Carmichael said this refinement process will continue, within the framework of the approved redevelopment, to deliver a final model for Ballymore that clearly satisfies all of those demands and is both economically responsible and achievable.

“We have told our key stakeholders that we have a once in a lifetime opportunity to resolve Ballymore’s future and we are determined that the final plan must be the best possible outcome for the entirety of rugby’s stakeholders in Queensland,” Mr Carmichael said.

Mr Carmichael also said there had been lengthy community consultation (see below) as part of the development application process and since the original application was lodged, Queensland Rugby had worked closely with Council to answer any questions and satisfy any concerns that were raised about the proposal.

Queensland Government Support

On Thursday, 31 July 2008, then Queensland Sport Minister Judy Spence announced $4.2 Million will be provided to develop Ballymore into a hub of sport and recreation facilities for both rugby union and the community.

Ms Spence said the grant to the Queensland Rugby Union would fund the construction of a new 25m swimming pool and the development of a third training field, all to be made available to the local community as well as athletes in training.

Ballymore Redevelopment Community Reference Group

In December 2007, a project team took nominations for the Ballymore Redevelopment Community Reference Group (CRG).

The aim of the CRG was to provide a forum for community consultation and information into the Master Planning process for Ballymore. The CRG  also acted as a channel for disseminating information about the project back to the community.

Minutes from CRG meetings can be downloaded in pdf format via the links below.

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