Redlands proposed whitewater facility morphs into a risky new business

In a remarkable marketing twist, Redland City Council has rebranded its proposed whitewater facility, initially proposed for the 2032 Olympics, as the Redlands Resilience Training Centre (RRTC). 

But why should a small council with an undistinguished record of managing property development and swimming pools think that it can successfully manage a capital intensive and risky new business in a niche market which would normally be left to state or national governments?

Reclassifying the whitewater facility

“The whitewater venue is about so much more than the Olympics. It is being specifically designed as a swift-water and resilience training facility that will train emergency service agencies from across the world, meaning the skills perfected at Birkdale could quite literally save lives” said mayor Karen Williams after the Redland City Council adopted its Birkdale Community Precinct (BCP) Master Plan in March 2023.

Reclassifying the Whitewater facility from an Olympic Games venue to be primarily a rescue organisation training centre elevates its status to that of capital-intensive, emergency service infrastructure. This should be the domain of State governments – with their massive tax revenue base to draw on to finance the total cost of ownership inclusive of capital, operating and maintenance funding of such public assets.   

If the purpose of the RRTC is to address a critical capability gap in emergency services rescue-training infrastructure nationally and in the Asia-Pacific region, why hasn’t this been identified under Australian government’s own Disaster Management or Foreign Aid programs? 

The RRTC appears an afterthought to the preliminary State and Federal government funding arrangements for construction of an artificial whitewater facility to host Olympic canoe-slalom events. 

With its small population and rates revenue base, why is Council committing Redlands ratepayers to bearing the operating and ownership burden of an emergency services training capital asset? 

The BCP Master Plan suggests the Precinct could become self-funded from retail, venue hire and event opportunities revenues etc. except that this isn’t anticipated to be fully achievable until the end of its 20-year staged construction lifecycle.  

In the meantime, ratepayers remain exposed to undisclosed cost commitments and risk in the RRTC’s whitewater facility operations, maintenance, water supply etc. from Day 1 of the venue being commissioned in mid-2027. Any assessment of business risks which may have been done by Redlands Council is being withheld from the the city’s ratepayers.

The BCP Master Plan further advises:

“To support the capital investment and future ongoing operations and maintenance of the precinct and to encourage sustainable economic uplift, Council will look to: …

• Unlock funds or in-kind support through strategic partnerships with entities such as emergency service providers i.e., the resilience training centre and whitewater centre will provide facilities for international organisations to train in swift water rescue …”

Yet the recent history of Olympic bids is that every host city in modern times has funded and built its own artificial whitewater Olympics Canoe-Slalom venue – with Penrith (2000), London (2012), Rio (2016) and Tokyo (2021) remaining functional. In addition, a new artificial whitewater facility was completed in 2017 for Paris (2024). 

Unsurprisingly, most host cities have pitched an artificial whitewater venue as a flood and swiftwater rescue training facility for emergency organisations as their main legacy justification to assuage IOC sustainability and value-for-money concerns in their bids.

Even within the Asia-Pacific region, the RRTC does not have exclusivity in the rescue organisation training market, with at least 2 established ex-Olympic whitewater facilities chasing this business.  

Kasai Rinkai Park – Tokyo 2020 Olympics

“Tokyo’s government is trying desperately to avoid being left with white elephants, banking on attracting international sporting competitions in the future. 

They are also hoping the venue built for canoe slalom, which is not a popular sport in Japan, could also be a swift water rescue training facility.” (Source: ABC News)

Penrith Whitewater Stadium – Sydney 2000 Olympics

“This essential work will boost the preparation of our Olympic and Paralympic athletes for the Paris 2024 Games, while making the venue more adaptable for other uses like recreational rafting, kayaking and swift water rescue training.”  (Paddle Australia CEO Phil Jones)

Additionally, some 60+ artificial whitewater canoe-slalom facilities exist throughout Europe, the Americas and Asia.

It’s hard to envisage global emergency services organisations justifying Brisbane bound international airfares, when a range of venues also seeking this patronage exist in their backyard. The same argument holds for attracting international canoe-kayaking competitions, given how typically funding-constrained sporting associations are.

Even at the local level, the main driver needed to justify the massive capital and operational funding obligations for an RRTC legacy– being demands from State rescue services for such whitewater infrastructure – does not appear to exist.

Brisbane should comply with IOC rules

The Brisbane 2032 Olympics organizers and the Queensland Government should respect the terms of our 2032 Olympic engagement. Compliance to mandated IOC requirements for non-duplication of venues means biting the bullet and relocating the 2032 Olympics Canoe-Slalom event to the Penrith Whitewater Stadium. 

This will resolve many issues, avoid Redland ratepayer financial risk, allows for $100 million of taxpayer funds to be redirected to more important causes.

It would enable Redland City Council to develop a revised master plan for the Birkdale Community Precinct which respects and aligns with the community’s wishes for a less environmentally impactful proposal as expressed during the 2021 community consultation process.

Tell the Senate what you think

Australia’s preparedness to host Commonwealth, Olympic and Paralympic Games is being examined by a Senate committee.

The inquiry’s terms of reference include such matters as:

• the adequacy of oversight and accountability processes for investments in new or upgraded sporting infrastructure to host Games events;and
• the costs and benefits to the Australian community of investments in infrastructure to support the Games, including any impacts on local government, communities and business in host locations.

The closing date for submissions is 28 April 2023.

Redlands2030 – 16 April 2023