WITH the six-year countdown now on for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, business, sporting and community leaders gathered at Brighton Homes Arena last week for a special “Six Years to Go” breakfast, where Ipswich City Council outlined its vision to maximise the opportunities presented by the Games.
Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said the countdown was well and truly underway, with careful planning now critical to ensuring Ipswich benefits for decades to come.
“Six years will go in the blink of an eye, and we must plan carefully and wisely to make the most of the incredible opportunities on offer from these Games,” Cr Harding said.
“As a proud co-host city, Ipswich City Council is working closely with leaders from all sectors to deliver tangible, practical benefits for our city.”
Mayor Harding said Council had already laid the groundwork through its 2032 Legacy Roadmap and Ipswich Legacy 2032 Working Group, with community leaders now helping refine the city’s long-term vision.
“Ipswich has been at the centre of the Brisbane 2032 bid since 2015, identifying the catalytic impact these Games will have on regional infrastructure and our city’s quality of life,” she said.
While Brighton Homes Arena has gone from the host venue for the modern pentathlon to now being guaranteed to host “Olympic events”, with no guarantee of a sport until early 2027, Mayor Harding said the focus extended far beyond a single sporting event.
Among Council’s biggest priorities is the proposed North Ipswich Sport and Entertainment Precinct, a $200 million vision that will begin taking shape with construction of the new $40 million Western Grandstand.
Mayor Harding also pointed to growing private investment linked to the city’s momentum, including plans for Australia’s first new steel mill in three decades, the Hilton Garden Inn hotel development in the CBD and the Brisbane Lions’ commitment to establish a new community sporting facility at Springfield.
“Ipswich’s Olympic and Paralympic legacy will be one that provides social and cultural growth and opportunities for our residents, young and old,” Cr Harding said.
