Whitewater

Redlands2030 submission about the proposed Redlands Whitewater Centre to the State Government 100 Day Review

Submission objecting to proposed Redlands Whitewater Centre

Redlands residents have a brief opportunity to have a say about Redland City Council’s proposed Redlands Whitewater Centre which is not supported by the Redlands community.

The Queensland Government recently tasked the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority with undertaking a 100 day review of venues and other infrastructure for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics and Paralympics.

The 100 day review will include a public submissions process. Submissions can be made online via a Submissions Portal.

The period for making submissions is from 10 December 2024 until 10 January 2025.

If you wish to oppose Redland City Council’s proposal for construction of a new Olympic whitewater stadium on the Birkdale Lands, you can copy the template submission below and paste it into the submission box provided by the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority.

Dear Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority

I object to the 2032 Olympics Redlands Whitewater Centre proposed for the Birkdale Community Precinct, for the following reasons:

#1 Redland City Council made 2032 Whitewater Centre Olympic Games bid commitments without any prior community engagement. Subsequently, the Redlands community clearly indicated that this facility is not wanted. Most recently, a July 2024 survey showed that 79% of the Redlands residents surveyed do NOT want a new Whitewater Centre, and only 9% are in favour – with 12% undecided.

#2 A Whitewater Centre is the short straw of Olympic venues; they are among the least valuable in terms of community use and appeal – compared to useful facilities like an Olympic swimming pool, or a four-court indoor sport centre.

#3 There is no water supply on the Birkdale site. Millions of litres of water from the SEQ Grid would have to be piped in, retained and sanitised to operate the facility – at great economic cost to Redlands ratepayers, with ongoing negative environmental impact.

#4 Olympic Whitewater Centres run at a significant loss, and end up as abandoned ruins, or a never-ending financial burden on the public purse. Redland City Council already imposes the highest rates and water charges in South East Queensland.

#5 Building this industrial-scale concrete edifice on the Birkdale lands would likely cause untold harm to the fragile aquifer and the groundwater dependent ecosystems which sustain the koalas, other wildlife and unique vegetation Redlanders wish to protect.

#6 Redland City Council is required to refer the Whitewater Centre project for EPBC review by the Federal Government which could delay the project considerably, or stop it.

#7 A Conservation Agreement between Redland City Council and the Federal Government was a condition of the purchase of the land; the Agreement is intended to protect the conservation values of the Birkdale site and to provide a net benefit for conservation and biodiversity; the Agreement has not yet been finalised.

#8 The mooted Rescue & Resilience Training Centre is a State Government responsibility. The Olympic Games will not fund it. If truly needed, it should be in a central location where necessary power and water infrastructure is already available.

#9 The IOC’s ‘New Norm’ Policy says existing venues should be used – even if in another city or country. The 2032 Olympic Canoe Slalom events should be held in the recently-upgraded Penrith Whitewater Stadium in New South Wales.

#10 Brisbane is the first city required by its IOC Contract to host a climate-positive games. Construction of a new unnecessary Whitewater facility will result in significant embedded carbon emissions. Electricity required to continually sanitise and pump water around the artificial course will be climate-negative.

#11 Constructing the proposed Redlands Whitewater Centre that Redlanders don’t want, on special conservation lands which Redlanders want protected, would deliver a shameful 2032 Games legacy.

#12 Please stop this Olympic debacle and remove the Redlands Whitewater Centre from the Olympic Venue Plan.

Redlanders want wild koalas not a whitewater elephant at Birkdale

79% of Redlands residents surveyed recently say they DO NOT WANT a Whitewater Centre in the Birkdale Community Precinct with only 9% in favour and 12% undecided.

This is because the people of the Redlands know that:

the Whitewater idea is entirely of our previous Redland City Council’s own making, with Olympic Games 2032 bid commitments made unbeknownst to us.

a Whitewater Centre is the short straw of Olympic venues; they are among the least valuable in terms of community use and appeal – compared to facilities like an Olympic swimming pool, or a four-court indoor sport centre.

Olympic Whitewater Centres run at a significant loss, and end up as either abandoned ruins, or a never-ending financial burden on the public purse.

there is no water supply on the Birkdale site and millions of litres of town water will have to be piped in, retained and sanitised to operate the facility, placing additional strain on local resources and drastically increasing the venue’s operating costs.

building this industrial-scale concrete edifice on the Birkdale lands will likely cause untold harm to the fragile aquifer and the groundwater dependent ecosystems which sustain the koalas, other wildlife and unique vegetation Redlanders wish to protect.

the mooted co-located Rescue & Resilience Training Centre idea is a furphy – the Olympic Games will not build it and no Local Government should be expected to carry what is a State Government responsibility.

the 2032 Olympic legacy for the Redlands will likely be the unending financial burden of a Whitewater Centre we did not want, on special conservation lands where it should never have been.

the International Olympic Committee’s ‘New Norm’ Policy says existing venues should be used – even if in another city – so the 2032 Olympic Canoe Slalom events should be held in the recently-upgraded Penrith Whitewater Stadium in New South Wales.

Our community’s campaign to stop this unwanted, unnecessary $100million Olympic whitewater debacle continues.

Proposed Redland Whitewater Centre lacks community support

A community survey of 347 local residents has left no doubt that the proposed 2032 Olympic Whitewater Centre is not wanted in the Redlands.

For details, read: Redlands residents say “No” to Olympic whitewater centre.

Senate Committee says Redland Whitewater Centre is not needed

Instead of building a new Redland whitewater stadium at Birkdale, use the existing whitewater facility at Penrith says an Interim Report of a Senate Inquiry examining preparations for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics.

For details, read: Redland whitewater plans questioned by Senate inquiry