Sunshine Coast quick off mark to lock in Olympics transport legacy
The Sunshine Coast is wasting no time making sure it takes advantage of the expected major boost in infrastructure spending triggered by the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson has told ratepayers that locking in public transport improvements as a result of Brisbane hosting the Games is a major policy priority for his council in 2022.
In his annual “state of the region” update, he said the region needed to embrace the chance the Games provided to dramatically improve the Sunshine Coast’s public transport network.
The need to address south-east Queensland’s chronic traffic congestion and lack of a mature high speed train network were major reason for the region’s mayors to start lobbying for the 2032 Olympics.
Jamieson said a major plank of the Games masterplan was a series of event precincts throughout south-east Queensland linked by efficient transport options and connecting the three major “clusters” of Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast.
“That connectivity within and between these three clusters will be absolutely critical to the success o the entire Games experience,” he said.
“But more importantly, as we’ve always said, public transport connectivity is crucial to the functionality and economic prosperity of south-eat Queensland generally.”
He said the Games must be the catalyst for delivering significant improvements in community infrastructure.
The Sunshine Coast is likely to host the Olympic marathon and road cycling events as well as basketball and football matches at various venues across the region.
The council has begun work on a Sunshine Coast legacy plan to be rolled out in the years leading up to the 2032 Olympics and following them, he said.
The plan would “inform and guide the identification of the key priorities and opportunities the region will pursue to ensure we will be positioned to secure the 10 plus 10 plus 10 legacy intent of the Games” he said.
The 2032 Olympics and Paralympics will need more than $190 million spent on transport improvement, including a smart route network to ensure no athlete will be more than 40 minutes away from a competition venue.
A report by consultants KPMG, commissioned by the Queensland Government, has indicated the Games will deliver a total benefit of $8.1 billion for the state.