EIGHT sites in Ipswich have been identified for a synthetic athletics track as the city pushes ahead with its bid for an Olympics legacy venue.
The Ipswich City Council voted at last week’s meeting in favour of pursuing investigation into the eight sites and advocating for the track to secure state and federal funding.
The move follows a notice of motion moved by Councillor Marnie Doyle at the April 30 meeting calling for a report into a synthetic athletics track for Ipswich to be handed down to Council, originally by June.
Council officers have identified four Council- owned sites and four privately owned sites and are undertaking high-level technical assessments on the most viable sites, to be handed down to Council in December.
Economic and Cultural Development Committee Deputy Chair Cr Doyle said Council had committed to a feasibility analysis of maintaining the current athletics facility at Limestone Park and the identification of the most appropriate location for development of a synthetic athletics track if not at Bill Paterson Oval.
“The analysis is required given the current track is located on an old landfill site and has been subject to significant land movement,” Cr Doyle said. “Council has identified a number of locations that could potentially accommodate a tartan track and supporting infrastructure, however preliminary investigations need to be completed ahead of confirming these sites.”
The Council will also prepare an advocacy campaign to attract State and Federal Government funding for the planning, design and construction of a new synthetic track.
Mayor Teresa Harding has sent a letter to Minister for Olympic and Paralympic Games Tim Mander pushing for state funding for the project.
A meeting was held on July 2 between Council officers and the owners of one of the preferred private sites to discuss their level of interest and co-contribution.
Federal Member for Blair Shayne Neumann said he was open to working with the Council on a fresh proposal, following the collapse of an earlier $20 million plan.
Council’s Economic and Cultural Development Committee chair Pye Augustine said Ipswich’s star athletes, including Gout Gout, were heading to Brisbane to train, and the city needed to advocate for a facility to stop the exodus.
Cr Harding said the synthetic track represented an opportunity to work with all levels of government for a legacy opportunity for the city.
Community and Sport Committee Chairman Jacob Madsen warned the Council over the ongoing costs of operating a facility for elite athletes, and urged for due diligence to be undertaken.
“Facilities of this nature do have a level of maintenance and upkeep required let alone funds to activate them properly,” Cr Madsen said.
