Redlands2030 wrote about the proposed Redlands Whitewater Centre in a submission to the State Government’s 100 Day Review of Brisbane’s 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Infrastructure. Here’s what we said.
10 January 2025
Mr Stephen Conry AM
Chair Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority
Dear Mr Conry
Submission to the 100 Day Review of Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Infrastructure – Comments about the proposed Redlands Whitewater Centre
Redlands2030 has been working with other community and environmental organisations to oppose plans for a Redland Whitewater Centre to be built in the Birkdale Community Precinct.
Our primary concerns are threefold:
- There are risks (likelihoods) that the proposed facility will prove to be financially unsustainable for the long-suffering Redland City ratepayers who currently experience the highest council rates and utility water charges in southeast Queensland.
- The proposed construction of a large concrete structure which uses significant amounts of energy and water will have unacceptable environmental impacts including:
- Site related impacts on habitat for endangered koalas; and
- Compromising the ability of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics to be climate positive.
- Redland City Council has failed to get social licence for its proposed whitewater facility. There is no evidence that this project has popular support from the Redlands community and clear indications that the community does not believe that this project should proceed.
Redlands2030 endorses submissions made by the Community Alliance for Responsible Planning (C.A.R.P.) which has coordinated an alliance of groups opposed to the Redlands Whitewater Centre.
Our submission includes two attachments which provide information about the following matters:
- Risk and financial analysis of the proposed Redlands Whitewater Stadium: and
- Weather conditions at Penrith Whitewater Stadium during the 2032 Olympics period.
We will be pleased to provide further information, if required to assist the 100 Day Review.
Risk and financial analysis of the proposed Redlands Whitewater Stadium
Whitewater centres are not notable for generating profit and return on investment. Facilities provided for recent Olympic games have become unused ruins e.g. Athens and Beijing or else depend on government handouts to continue operations e.g. Penrith, Rio and Lee Valley (London).
Redland City Council has failed to disclose to its community a business case for its proposed Redlands Whitewater Centre. This is a pretty good indicator that the project is less than viable.
We ask that any proposal put forward by Redland City Council be subjected to a full forensic due diligence review including robust interrogation of the Council’s business case assumptions. We presume such a thorough review has not yet happened. Review findings should be made public.
Capital costs and capital funding
A starting point for assessment is capital cost and funding to construct both the whitewater facility, and enabling infrastructure such as roads, power, water supply and water treatment.
While the State and Federal Governments may fund provision of a canoe slalom facility, we know that they won’t fund the extras required for other features such as swift water rescue training, and having a gently flowing channel for recreational use by people with modest swimming capabilities.
Based on our comparison with the cost of other whitewater facilities in recent years we have assumed that the construction cost of the canoe slalom whitewater facility would be about AUD $100 million to be gifted by State and Federal Governments with about AUD $50 million of additional infrastructure capital works to be funded by Redland City Council.
Montgomery Alabama capital costs
Construction of a whitewater venue at Montgomery in Alabama USA was completed in 2023 at a reported total project cost of US $90 million, including provision of a site valued at US $16 million. If the site value is deducted, then construction cost is US$74 million. At an exchange rate of 0.62 this equates to AUD $119 million. Typically, Australia’s construction costs are higher than USA costs.
Oklahoma – Riversport Rapids capital costs
The Riverside Rapids whitewater facility in Oklahoma (1900kms from Los Angeles by air) has been selected as the Canoe Slalom venue for the LA28 Olympics, to avoid the need for construction of a whitewater facility in the host Olympic city.
The Riverside Rapids was constructed in 2016 at a reported cost of US $45 million which at an exchange rate of 0.62 equates to AUD 72.6 million. Adjustment of this figure with USA inflation rates for the period 2016 to 2024 gives an equivalent figure in present day dollars of AUD $97 million.
Operations and maintenance costs of a whitewater centre
Operating costs for a whitewater centre will include staff, purchase of electricity, and purchase of water. There will also be significant maintenance costs, especially for the large pumps required to provide the flow of whitewater. Major maintenance overhaul work will require downtime; the whitewater facility will be unable to earn revenue during such maintenance outages.
We assume that the Council would have to book depreciation of the full asset value including the $100 million portion that is a contributed asset. This depreciation cost would be passed onto ratepayers for the life of the assets, adding millions of dollars to the Council’s annual operating costs.
Revenue from people doing whitewater canoe or kayak paddling is likely to be minimal. Canoe slalom is a niche sport for experienced paddlers who are also strong swimmers confident in fast flowing water.
The main source of revenue for whitewater centres is obtained from people who pay to go whitewater rafting. The Penrith Whitewater Stadium currently charges $160 per person for 90 minutes with a bulk deal of $130 per person for groups of eight or more.
It appears that the Council is assuming that if they build the facility, people will come from all over southeast Queensland to enjoy whitewater rafting in the Redlands. But wishful thinking is not a sound basis for considering major investments, especially when public funds are being disbursed.
The Council has made much of its plan to use the proposed whitewater centre for provision of swift water rescue training which is intended to yield an additional revenue stream. We suspect that the actual demand for swift water rescue training is unlikely to generate a substantial long term revenue stream with high certainty of occurrence. Has the Council negotiated a long term take or pay agreement with relevant State government authorities for use of the proposed whitewater centre? What do the State government agencies have to say about their willingness to fund the project?
Redland City Council’s capacity to deliver a commercial project
Redland City Council has a very questionable record in undertaking commercial investment activities. Some ten years ago the Council set up a property investment company (Redland Investment Corporation) with the aim of earning money to supplement revenue obtained from ratepayers. Several million has been invested in this property company over the years; the net result has been less than modest, including losses in some years.
Redland City Council’s Cleveland Aquatic Centre dates back to 1977 when a 50-metre swimming pool was constructed. Engineering reports obtained by the Council between 2014 and 2023 (and made publicly available through Right to Information) show that the Council has struggled to keep these aquatic assets, including the venerable 50 metres swimming pool, in a fit and proper state .
Risk and financial analysis should lead the 100-day review to the conclusion that Penrith Whitewater Stadium should be the Brisbane 32 Olympics venue for Canoe Slalom events, in compliance with the IOC’s New Norm policy.
Penrith Whitewater Stadium weather for the 2032 Olympics
Introduction
The Penrith Whitewater Stadium, built originally for the Sydney 2000 Olympics, could be reused as the venue for Canoe Slalom events at the Brisbane 2032 Olympics.
Penrith Whitewater Stadium will be the venue for the 2025 International Canoe Federation (ICF) Canoe Slalom World Championships, being held from 1-6 October, so clearly this facility now operated by the NSW State Government is still suitable for international competition.
The 2032 Olympics are to be held from 23 July to 8 August inclusive. At this time of year, Penrith is cooler than when the Olympics were held in Sydney (from 15 September to 1 October 2000).
Given the significant economic benefit of reusing a venue that would be very expensive to replicate in Queensland, is weather at the Penrith venue suitable for canoe slalom activities during the period when the 2032 Olympics are to be held?
Comments about Penrith weather in the Sports Venue Review Report
The superficial Sport Venue Review led by former Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk included the un-evidenced finding (5.4) that:
The Penrith Whitewater Stadium experiences poor weather conditions (wind and temperature) at the equivalent time when the Games will be held. In previous years, the venue has been closed between June and September.
The body of this report includes the following comments about Penrith’s weather:
Weather conditions in Sydney during July and August (when the Games will be held) are less conducive to international competition with marginally colder minimum temperatures and slightly higher wind speeds. Due to these conditions, in previous years the venue has been closed between June and September.
Fact Checking the suitability of Penrith’s weather for hosting the 2032 Olympics Canoe Slalom
Analysis of weather and water temperature data finds that the Penrith venue would be a perfectly adequate Canoe Slalom venue for the 2032 Olympics.
This fact checking includes assessment of maximum and minimum atmospheric temperatures during the time period when the Olympics are to be held in 2032 – from 23 July to 8 August.
We have also given some consideration to likely water temperatures at this time of year and some contextual information about the suitability of these conditions for people engaged in the sport of Canoe Slalom.
Maximum and minimum temperatures
The mean daily maximum temperature recorded at Penrith Lakes (weather station ID 067113 ) by the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) for 23 July to 8 August between 1996 and 2024 (a total of 475 observations) is 19.0°C.
Over the past seven years the mean maximum temperature for the period 23 July to 8 August has been 20.0°C. This noticeable warming in recent years is consistent with temperature data showing the ongoing effects of global climate change over recent decades.
The mean daily minimum (overnight) temperature for the period 23 July to 8 August between 1996 and 2024 is 5.5°C. Mean maximum and minimums for 23 July to 8 August between 1996 and 2024 are shown below.
These (BOM) observations show that the weather in Penrith during the time period for the 2032 Olympics (23 July to 8 August) should be suitable for the 2032 Olympics canoe slalom events.
Water Temperature
Water temperature data is less available in the public domain, but a set of observations accessed from the Penrith City Council website for the period 1 – 8 August 2023 shows the following water temperatures at the entrance to the Whitewater Stadium.
| 1/08/23 | 2/08/23 | 3/08/23 | 4/04/23 | 5/08/23 | 6/08/23 | 7/08/23 | 8/08/23 | |
| 9:00am | 12.3 | 14.3 | 12.4 | 12.1 | 11.6 | 13.9 | 12.8 | 13.5 |
| 11:00am | 16.4 | 16.6 | 14.5 | 16.3 | 15.1 | 14.7 | 15.9 | 15.9 |
| 1:00pm | 20.8 | 17.5 | 21.2 | 21.8 | 15.6 | 16.2 | 17.3 | 19.3 |
| 6:00pm | 17.1 | 14.6 | 16.3 | 17.0 | 15.0 | 14.5 | 14.7 | 15.2 |
Considering weather and water temperatures in context of whitewater slalom sports
Some points to consider:
- Whitewater slalom sports evolved from people paddling the rapids on fast-flowing rivers – typically fed by cold water from melting snow and ice glaciers on high mountains.
- Canoe and kayak slalom events are short duration – Olympic standard canoe slalom competitors can complete the Olympic whitewater course in less than two minutes.
- Commenting on conditions for the 2024 Paddle Australia Canoe Slalom National Championships at Bradys Lake in the Tasmanian Highlands, Paddle Australia described the expected water temperature of 13° as “mild”. This “mild” temperature is lower than the water temperatures shown above for Penrith in August 2023.
- Although the Penrith Whitewater Stadium has traditionally been closed during July and August each year (fewer people want to go whitewater rafting in winter) in 2024 the stadium was opened for slalom paddling on the weekend of 16 & 17 August just a week or two outside the date range for the 2032 Olympics.
Sources
Sport Venue Review – Independent Review of Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Venue Infrastructure
10 Things you need to know about the 2024 Canoe Slalom Nationals – February 28, 2024
State of the Climate 2024, Bureau of Meteorology
Water temperature Penrith Lakes – Whitewater entry August 2023 Penrith City Council
Penrith Whitewater Stadium Open Slalom Session 17 & 18 Aug
Data sourced from Bureau of meteorology website for Penrith Lakes weather station
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This is an excellent and well researched submission. Thank you for the time and effort that has been put into it and being a voice for Redlands residents.
Your efforts are very much appreciated.
Redlands 2030 Committe,
Thank you for all the work you do to stand up for we Redland ratepayers.
Without your well researched and well reasoned arguments we would be subject to the vested interests of influential businesses and individuals.
Keep leading the way for the greater good of the public.
Let’s hope sanity wins out on this important issue.