Reds to get world-class home
NEWS: The Queensland Rugby Union’s (QRU) iconic Ballymore Park will be transformed into a world-class sports precinct and community facility.
It will also include a national headquarters for women’s rugby, following a $15 million election commitment from the Australian Labor Party.
Shadow Minister for Sport, on Farrell and Federal Labor candidate for the seat of Brisbane, Paul Newbury, announced Labor would commit $15 million towards the proposed National Rugby Training Centre (NRTC).
The stunning $35 million high-performance centre will replace the ageing McLean Stand and become the centrepiece of a redevelopment of the precinct as a recreation hub for the city, opening what is currently a closed stadium to the public with new parks, bicycle and walking paths.
The NRTC will enable Rugby Australia to base its national women’s XV-a-side program in Queensland, helping to inspire a new generation of female sporting talent with a world-class training facility, along with providing a home for the Wallabies in Queensland. The NTRC will also house the Queensland Reds and the QRU’s academy program as well as other programs including referee, club rugby administration and representative programs.
The development will breathe life into an ageing facility which, since the Reds moved games to Suncorp Stadium in 2006, has burdened QRU significantly with escalating maintenance costs.
The redevelopment includes an integrated 3 000-seat stand replacing the McLean Stand’s capacity, allowing for games such as Queensland Premier Rugby club finals as well as Wallaroos Tests and other matches. The facility will also cater for sporting events to approximately 12 000.
The National Rugby Training Centre:
The NRTC concept has been designed by Nicholas George of TVS Architects. TVS also designed Cricket Australia’s National Cricket Centre in Albion, Brisbane.
It will feature an integrated 3,000-seat stand replacing the existing McLean Stand.
Spread over 6 500 square metres, it will feature changerooms for up to 80 men and women and cutting-edge sports science and recovery facilities.
The facility will also be able to be used as a community meeting space.