Hockey Queensland & Hockey Australia Welcome 2032 Olympics and Paralympic Infrastructure Review
Published Thu 18 Jan 2024
Hockey Queensland and Hockey Australia welcome the newly announced 60 day review of the Master plan for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games and fully supports calls for a permanent and lasting hockey legacy from the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.
The current venue plan set out by the Brisbane Organising Committee for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games is to place temporary ‘drop-in’ synthetic hockey pitches and stadium infrastructure at the Ballymore Rugby Union precinct. This plan does not offer value for money, and does not leave a legacy for hockey in Queensland.
The current hockey infrastructure in Brisbane does not meet International Hockey Federation (FIH) standards and the ratio of synthetic pitches to players and competitions is one of the lowest in Australia. Brisbane has not hosted an FIH-sanctioned event since the Champions Trophy in 1999.
Hockey Queensland in partnership with Hockey Australia, has been working with appointed consultants, Otium Planning, to complete the Hockey Queensland Major Hockey Infrastructure Feasibility Study. The study was commissioned to review the options for a new or redeveloped home of hockey in Queensland and to expand playing opportunities for the hockey community in Queensland.
The needs analysis has highlighted that Brisbane has a deficit of 7 synthetic pitches to meet the playing needs of the community now and forecasts the need for 10 more additional pitches by 2042. The temporary drop in solution for The Games does not support the needs of hockey and does not leave a lasting legacy for Australia’s most successful Olympic team sport.
The Major Hockey Infrastructure Study has also identified 6 potential sites that could be an alternative to Ballymore and will provide the lasting legacy needed.
The Review announced today provides an important opportunity for sports to contribute to the infrastructure legacy to ensure the future needs of sports in Queensland is appropriately met.
Hockey’s full Feasibility Report will be released in the coming weeks.
