RooBlu

I doubt that any city in Australia could salvage this by 2026 with possible exception of Melbourne. We are well under 3 years and the deadline for planning, building and everything else to coordinate a games is too tight. As the timelines get tighter the costs would escalate as builders are already in short supply and able to name their prices. The housing construction crisis here in Australia is probably the proverbial canary in the cage ATM. i actually do believe Dan Andrews in saying that the original costs projection of $2.6 bil for the 2026 games did escalate. The costs of hiring a huge fleet of busses from around Oz at relatively short notice, the unforseen decontamination costs for the Ballarat village site, the cost increases associated with building materials, energy and inflation, the wider shortage of tradesmen, and the broader short deadlines would escalate costs as businesses would be setting aside other work in order to prioritise to games. Yes $2.6 bil was probably wildly optimistic to begin with. Perhaps the starting figure to put the games together with 4 years notice should have been $4 bil. The government started putting out tenders from October last year, and I reckon that quickly it became increasingly obvious from the responses that the budget was too small, forcing the orgnisers to recalculate their real estimates and concluding that the real cost of the games would blow out upwards of $4-5 bil once the running costs were factored in. The other fact is that the games were being organised by a new government department and not a commercial organising corporation whose charter would have included a strict budget and a focus toward profit and marketing from the outset.

The Melbourne 2006 games cost $1.5 billion almost 20 years ago and in consideration of how inflation has gotten away over the last 18 months coupled with costs of living increases since 06 then perhaps the $2.6 bil projected cost was too minimal and too ambitious to begin with. We need to consider the whole picture of where cost overruns could potentially have led taxpayers. Yes there will be a premium to be paid for breaking the contract, but it will be far cheaper than paying an extra $4.4 billion for the sake of saving the games and sporting reputation. I think that Melbourne's sporting reputation will survive. After all the Spring Carnival, AFL season, Moto GP, F1 GP, Oz Open and other major events will keep it up there.

$7.1 bill so far, and that's only what has been promised for infrastructure and facility upgrades. The security Nd running costs are what blew out Victoria's bid at the Comm Games. Multiply those costs by up to a factor of five and yes that is the Olympics by way of a comparison. Anticipate a bill somewhere north of $30 bil by 2032. Someone said that the city gets the broadcast royalties. Not actually true, the broadcast rights are paid to the IOC who split some of that royalty money with the Organisation Committee. Anyway that said, I believe that the Andrews' Government have made the right call. We are in the midst of a housing crisis, cost of living crisis, builders going broke and in short supply amidst one of the biggest infrastructure builds in Victoria's history. It was a good and pragmatic call, and I don't often give governments that much credit. It would have been grossly irresponsible to stage a $7 billion, 12 day long sports festival when the state's finances are under severe pressure and we are undergoing already major infrastructure builds to support a booming population. Good call Dan

Possibly will now that the time line pressure is off. The government have still committed to build the promised sports facilities and social housing as it was all within the original budget.

It was the fiscally responsible thing to do. Costs projected to blow out to $6-7 billion. Nah, a good decision. I can't even begin to imagine what the Brisbane Olympics will blow out to cost. They said that they would do it for $5.5 billion. I am conservatively guessing a bill of upwards of $30 billion to host the 2032 Games.

Pressure is mounting from the Ballarat community and political leaders to build the train platform adjacent to Eureka Stadium: An online petition has been started: https://www.johnpesutto.com.au/survey/build-a-train-event-platform-at-mars-stadium-ballarat Various articles have been published in print and online, here are a couple: The Ballarat Times (7th July) Concern over Comm Games legacy POLITICIANS and community members gathered a Mars Stadium this week urging the State Government to reconsider legacy options for the Commonwealth Games, including a train station at Mars Stadium. Shadow minister for the Commonwealth Games, David Southwick, was joined fellow Liberal MPs Joe McCracken and Bevery McArthur to call for the infrastructure. “The Commonwealth games is not just about a 10-day sporting event, it’s about an important legacy that’s left behind,” said Mr Southwick. As part of his visit to Ballarat Mr Southwick announced the launch of a webpage to push for the train station – buildtheplatform.com.au and urged residents to visit the site to help ensure a new platform gets build opposite Mars Stadium. “There’s legacy opportunities right at our front door here at Mars Stadium with the duplication of Creswick Road and importantly the events platform,” said Mr Southwick. “That events platform is not just about the Commonwealth Games, it’s not just about sport, the AFL and all the events at Mars Stadium, it’s about ensuring that as populations start to grow in the north, we’ve got that station here to be able to accommodate them.” Also at the Creswick Road event was Commerce Ballarat CEO Jodie Gillett, Ballarat Agricultural and Pastoral Society committee member Geoffrey Norman, Committee for Ballarat CEO Michael Poulton. Ms Gillett expressed concern about what will happen if a train platform is not built. “Two weeks for an event is not what we’re looking for to leave behind,” she said. “We have to have legacy and the platform will give us the opportunity to hold a lot of other sporting events and music events at the stadium to see it bringing tourists to town on going. “Reality also has to come in, we’ve got 30,000 people per session, how do we transport them without a platform here?” A spokesperson for the State Government said that a transport strategy is currently being developed and will include rail, road, and bus options, however, a new platform is not possible in the time frame. “We have delivered significant investments in transport for the Ballarat community, with an extra 135 V/Line services running every week,” the spokesperson said. “We’re also investing $50 million to upgrade Ballarat’s historic train station, improving accessibility and capacity at the heritage listed site ahead of the Commonwealth Games.” Mr Southwick rejected the idea that there wasn’t enough time to build a platform. “Jacinta Allan and the Labor Government says that they’ve run out of time, but we know just up the road at Wendouree Station it took 13 months to build that platform,” he said. “If they can do Wendouree Station in 13 months, they can do this in just under three years. Inside the Games - Today Pressure builds on Australian Government to build Ballarat Stadium rail platform for Victoria 2026 The Australian Government is coming under renewed pressure from opposition politicians to build a new train platform in Ballarat in preparation for the 2026 Victoria Commonwealth Games. Ballarat’s Mars Stadium, which will be upgraded prior to 2026 and play host to various track and field events, runs parallel to the railway track and members of the opposition party claim it requires a purpose-built platform to avoid congestion in the regional city when thousands flock there. The Liberal/National Coalition said the dedicated platform would "only require a simple concrete structure", and more work could be done after the Commonwealth Games to develop it so that it could then be used for other special events, including Australian Football League games. But in June at a Public Accounts and Estimates Committee, Minister for the Commonwealth Games Jacinta Allan rejected the idea due to time constraints around the project. The coalition are urging Allan to reconsider her decision, pointing to a similar project undertaken at Wendouree. Jacinta Allan, Minister for the Commonwealth Games, is coming under increasing pressure to change her position over providing a railway platform for Ballarat's Mars Stadium for the Victoria 2026 Games ©Getty Images The Member for Western Victoria Region, Joe McCracken, said the Government needs to invest in crucial infrastructure for the future of Ballarat. "The Commonwealth Games are so important to the development of regional Victoria and we must capitalise on that momentum," he said, as quoted by skynews.com.au. "These Games are about so much more than the two weeks of sport. "We must invest in the infrastructure of tomorrow while we have the chance." The Labour Government elected into power last year is estimating that the Commonwealth Games will contribute more than AUS$3 billion (£1.6 billion/$2 billion/€1.8 billion) to the state economy. It also projects "more than 600 full-time equivalent jobs before the Games, 3,900 jobs during the Games and a further 3,000 jobs after it ends". Victoria was named host of the event last year, with the Games to take place exclusively in the regional hubs of Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and Gippsland. The National Tribune - 4th July Mars Stadium event platform a necessary step for Ballarat’s future A dedicated events train platform at Mars Stadium in Ballarat is needed to support the growth of one of Victoria’s major regional cities. Despite the rail line running parallel to the stadium and an events platform being identified as an important project for the city’s northern growth zone, Minister for Commonwealth Games Delivery, Jacinta Allan, has poured cold water on plans. During Public Accounts and Estimates Committee (PAEC) hearings last month, Ms Allan said there was not enough time to deliver the infrastructure, despite taking just 13 months to complete a similar platform at Wendouree. A dedicated events platform at Mars Stadium would only require a simple concrete structure where spectators can safely board and disembark train services. Further development of the station could take place after the Commonwealth Games are finished. With the Games coming to regional Victoria in under three years’ time, we must do all we can to deliver the infrastructure needed now and into the future, and the Liberals and Nationals call on Minister Allan to reconsider her decision. Shadow Minister for the Commonwealth Games, David Southwick, said instead of clogging Ballarat’s streets with hundreds of shuttle busses, a dedicated train platform would get spectators to and from the stadium safety and effectively. “As well as ruling out an events platform, Jacinta Allan has shut down any plan to duplicate Creswick Road, and the question on everyone’s mind is: why?” Mr Southwick said. “The Andrews Government should listen to calls from the community, council and industry leaders and build the platform.” Member for Western Victoria Region, Joe McCracken, said the Andrews Government needed to provide certainty to the community that the future of Ballarat was taken into consideration. “The Commonwealth Games are so important to the development of regional Victoria and we must capitalise on that momentum,” Mr McCracken said. “These Games are about so much more than the two weeks of sport. We must invest in the infrastructure of tomorrow while we have the chance.” 3BA Ballarat Online petition aims to get events train platform built A Western Victorian MP has hit out at the State Government for refusing to build an events train platform at Mars Stadium, in time for the 2026 Commonwealth Games. The Coalition yesterday launched an online petition in Ballarat called ‘Build the Platform’, despite Minister for Commonwealth Games Delivery, Jacinta Allan saying there was not enough time to deliver the infrastructure. However, Joe McCracken says it can be built in time. “It’s just a no-brainer really for Ballarat, and we’ve seen the Minister [and] Deputy Premier say that it’s a matter of time. That’s the constraint that is stopping this from happening,” he said. “It’s not a matter of time, it’s a matter of money. The money’s dried up and they’re just not willing to fund it.” Ballarat Courier - 5th July Petition for an events platform in Ballarat launched ahead of Commonwealth Games 2026 Geoff Notman, Jodie Gillett, Michael Poulton and Liberal Party MPs Bev McArthur, Joe McCracken and David Southwick would all like to see an events platform opposite Eureka Stadium. Picture by Nieve Walton. Ballarat community leaders are continuing to call on the state government to invest in transport infrastructure for the Commonwealth Games and beyond. An events platform near Eureka Stadium, commonly known as Mars Stadium, has long been a project community advocates have been championing for. The City of Ballarat has also highlighted the Commonwealth Games as a perfect opportunity to invest in additional train infrastructure. Commerce Ballarat chief executive Jodie Gillett said an events platform would be vital for growth in the region and the future of the events precinct. "This stadium has so much potential, we can bring large music events and large sporting events to Ballarat," she said. "That's an investment in our economy and that's what we need." Ms Gillett said the area around Eureka Stadium needs work. "We've got a train going right past the door," she said. "How do we transport 3000 to 5000 people per train in 50 seat buses during the Games? "It's a question that I've asked multiple times." Ms Gillett said the last AFL games hosted at Eureka Stadium in May between the Western Bulldogs and the Adelaide Crows demonstrated the development needed. On May 20, trains were replaced by buses because of work on the line and spectators from the sold out games chose to drive instead. "We had around 10,000 people that day and it was chaos, there were cars everywhere," Ms Gillett said. "How much cleaner and wonderful would it be if we can get people out of their cars, get them onto a train and drop them off at the front door?" Committee for Ballarat chief executive Michael Poulton said the platform was imperative for the city's growth areas. "We see in Ballarat's west what happens when you don't build infrastructure for population growth," he said. "We know what's coming when we think about population growth - it would be crazy not to build an events platform that in time becomes a fully functional railway station to cater to that." While speaking before the state government's public accounts and estimate committee, Commonwealth Games delivery minister Jacinta Allan said time was one of the reasons why an events platform was not on the table. Mr Poulton said they were not going to accept this. Opposition spokesperson for the Commonwealth Games David Southwick said the Commonwealth Games is about more than a 10 day sporting event. Eureka Stadium. Picture by Adam Spencer. "It's about the important legacy that's left behind, whether it be accommodation, housing, public transport infrastructure, sports, community facilities, they're all the things Ballarat locals expect," he said. "We can't have the government flick the switch and say they've run out of time and run out of money and all they're going to deliver is a 10 day sporting event." "We've reached out to the Minister for Commonwealth Games to meet with her directly at this point in time we haven't had a response," he said. "We don't accept there isn't the money because Ballarat needs to be invested in, we feel we're being shortchanged, without something like an event platform." Mr Southwick is running an online petition to continue their advocacy for the project. A government spokesperson said in a statement they were delivering "significant investments in transport for the Ballarat community". "We're also investing $50 million to upgrade Ballarat's historic train station, improving accessibility and capacity at the heritage listed site ahead of the Commonwealth Games." It is understood the government is working on a transport strategy for the games which will include road, rail and bus options to be released before ticket sales.

The Ballarat Courier ran a story a couple of hours ago about an online peition for an events platform at Eureka Stadium. I will put the full details up tomorrow.

From Ballarat Courier - Yesterday Afternoon Federal government proposes funding offer for Commonwealth Games Old saleyards site in Delacombe in May 2022. Picture supplied. Federal funding avenues for the Commonwealth Games are slowly progressing, with confirmation an offer has been made. Infrastructure minister Catherine King said the federal government had "a small ask on the table from the Victorian government" and negotiations were ongoing. The state government has set aside $2.6 billion in the 2022/23 budget for the Commonwealth Games in 2026. This is expected to include "contributions from the Commonwealth government and local government", but exact figures are yet to be released. Geelong council has already spoken out about their inability to front up large sums of money for the games. Ms King said this is not usually something the federal government could be involved in, but would be looking to spaces where their goals align. "We're keen that there is a legacy left behind [for] both sporting and social infrastructure," the federal member for Ballarat said. "We've said very clearly that our interest is ... in relation to the villages and social and affordable housing." Tender documents for the Ballarat village reveal all housing planned for the former saleyards site in Delacombe will be relocatable. Meanwhile Bendigo and Geelong will have over 170 permanent townhouses in addition to temporary buildings. Ms King said she wanted to see the Commonwealth Games deliver a "fantastic" event. "I want to see Ballarat put on the map, nationally and internationally so that people know what a fabulous place it is to visit and live," she said.

From this morning's Ballarat Courier: All Commonwealth Games housing to be temporary in Ballarat Former saleyard site in 2021. Picture by Kate Healy. Ballarat will miss out on housing "legacy" as documents reveal all homes in its 2026 Commonwealth Games athletes' village will be temporary. But as plans for the site become clearer, the reconnection of Gillies Street South is now on the table. New documents released as part of the state government tender process for the Games reveal all homes in the Ballarat village will be "relocatable". The current tender is looking for a project manager, superintendent's representative and quantity surveying roles across the four villages in Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong and Gippsland. The project brief put together on May 30 outlines how many townhouses are expected to be built at each village. Bendigo will have 178 homes built, Geelong 179, Gippsland 79 and Ballarat will have no permanent townhouses. The document says all sites will have relocatable units, but the numbers are still "to be confirmed". Bendigo and Geelong will also have apartments, but these numbers are also not stated. This has changed from tender documents released in February which said 28 one-bedroom townhouses, 152 two-bedroom houses, 96 three-bedroom houses, and 25 four-bedroom houses would be built in Ballarat. The May brief states Ballarat will "predominantly feature relocatable type housing" during the Games. Bendigo will "comprise medium density residential dwellings" and land in Geelong will be "improved with townhouses of various configurations". The villages have been promoted as a way to increase housing stock in the regions since the Games were announced for Victoria in April 2022. Over the past month, ministers have confirmed other regional councils have asked for village houses to be taken to different areas. Designs for the relocatable houses are expected to be completed by quarter four, 2023 and work on townhouses is expected by the end of 2023 while relocatable work should start by Q1, 2024. Draft plan after the Commonwealth Games. Pictures supplied. Tender documents reveal work will continue on the villages after the Games so they can be prepared for sale to new "legacy owners" by Q2, 2027. One drawback of the saleyards site is the expensive remediation work needed after 150 years of dead livestock burials and contamination from drenches and faeces. A preliminary site investigation for the saleyards site and the intended use in the Commonwealth Games was produced by Stantec in August 2022. Remediation considerations A environmental site assessment was then given to Development Victoria in December and a draft environmental works plan from February 2023 was included in the tender documents. The draft works plan said Development Victoria's remediation preference was "for the impacted soils to be removed off-site". Arsenic is among the chemicals which need to be removed from the soil. The December site assessment recommended more soil analysis so it is clear what needs to be done once soil is taken off-site. It is also recommended the pond onsite is drained and sediment at the bottom is removed to "further reduce risk of contamination migration". The proposed master plans indicate the 1909 administration building and 1963 selling pavilion are under heritage protection and will remain on site with designs working around the buildings. Gillies Street South Options A transport plan for the site has also been put together by ARUP in May 2023. The document notes there are opportunities for improved walking and cycling infrastructure near the site in line with City of Ballarat and state government strategies. It said there would be an opportunity to create a new bus route or reroute a service as well as connect walking paths from the site to Victoria Park and into the central business district. A Victorian Government spokesperson said the villages would have social and affordable housing "that will be able to be distributed around Victoria to areas in need". The government said it was "continuing to invest across regional Victoria" and the Games would "leave a long-lasting legacy across all Victorian communities".

I do suspect that if regional Victoria can successfully pull off the 2026 Games then we will see several bids for the 2034 Games.

The State Government have released tenders today for a V2026 Athletes Villages construction project manager. The attached documents to the tender are extensive and detailed, illustrating layouts, details of site soil investigation works etc. A separate document details that the standard of the accommodation to be provided should be consistent with modern Australian housing standards with examples of housing designs to be used as a guide. Of note is that most of these documents were produced as far back as October 2022 with the Ballarat paperwork being finalised much later around March 2023. So we might assume that detailed architectural planning would be underway at this point. Site layouts for the villages during and after the Games are detailed for Bendigo, Morwell, Geelong and Ballarat. Ballarat's village is on the most contaminated site but the affected areas are highlighted and identified to be cleared before any construction will begin. Probably one of the significant takeaway points to these documents is that much planning is being done and consolidated months before public releases. So we might assume that design works for new sports stadiums in Ballarat and Geelong and the upgrades at Gippsland and Bendigo are well advanced at this point.

Evidently yes, but that will still be about 2 and a half years before the Games

2026 Commonwealth Games: Questions Ballarat needs answered | ANALYSIS By Alex Ford Ballarat Courier June 21 2023 - 4:00am Premier Daniel Andrews and Dame Louise Martin at the Commonwealth Games announcement in April 2022 - with concept art for a mascot, stadium, and village. To mark 1000 days until the 2026 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony - and all the global attention that will come to Ballarat, Geelong, Bendigo, and Morwell - the big question on everyone's lips is; Will we be ready? Having a world spotlight on your city may be great for exposure but it also comes with the onus of getting it right. This is not to say we don't have confidence in the Games - but there are still many unknowns and here are some key questions Ballarat wants to know to avoid a rush job. One thousand days and five questions. WHEN WILL CONSTRUCTION BEGIN? Ballarat will get hundreds of millions of dollars worth of infrastructure upgrades, including $50 million for an accessible overpass at the Ballarat station, a new athletics track, and extra seating at Eureka Stadium. Combine that with the plans for a village that can hold at least 1800 athletes, and it's a big ask for a massive legacy for the city. Already, tenders have gone out for several of these projects, including bonuses like a major upgrade to sports facilities in Miners Rest, and geotechnical testing has been completed at Eureka Stadium with designers appointed. But we're still in the dark as to when the heavy lifting will begin for these transformational projects, and the clock is ticking. HOW MUCH PERMANENT HOUSING WILL BE BUILT IN DELACOMBE? We've had ministers saying they're working on it, we've had concept designs released, we've had tenders go out for soil remediation - we've even got the exact number of bedrooms that will be available, and how many storeys each building will be. But what Ballarat does not yet know is exactly how much of the athletes' village will be permanent new townhouses, and how many will be portable or temporary. The hope is we get an amazing new mini-suburb with full amenities for the people who need it most - the fear is that we get a new caravan park to welcome some of the world's best athletes. HOW MUCH WILL COUNCIL HAVE TO PAY? There's been a few questions about this in state parliament, and it seems it's a "how long is a piece of string" question. Despite the City of Ballarat appointing a new director for the Games - as well as "Economy and Experience" - councils across the state are still unsure how much they'll be asked to contribute to help put the Games on. That's in addition to the $2.6 billion over five years the state government committed in 2022, keep in mind. HOW WILL PEOPLE GET TO THE GAMES? We've heard that cars will be banned from around Eureka Stadium and BSEC during the Games, which will mean closing Creswick Road for at least a couple of weeks - if not much longer. If that's the case, how will crowds of up to 34,000 people make it to the two stadiums? The plan, from what we can tell, is trains to Ballarat station and shuttle buses to the stadium, as it's a 2.6 kilometre walk back into town. While many in the city have advocated for a new events-only train platform next to the stadium, it appears it'll be unlikely to happen, given time and funding constraints, so let's hope there's a good plan to move people around. WHAT WILL BE HAPPENING IN TOWN DURING THE GAMES? Tickets to the events will be snapped up quickly - this is a once-in-a-lifetime gig - and the state government has promised cultural events and shows in the lead-up to and during the Games as well, to encourage visitors to learn about the host cities and show off a bit. But it's not quite clear how much money will be spent on these events, who will pay for them, or even what they will be. Could it be live music during each night in the CBD? Could it involve Traditional Owners, to show Ballaarat's long history? Could it encourage visitors to stay the night in Ballarat and try out our hospitality? CAN WE PULL IT OFF? There is no doubt the Commonwealth Games will be something special, and things will get really exciting in the next two-and-a-bit-years. From inspiring children and young athletes, to putting Ballarat directly on the world map for incredible experiences, to building capacity for our businesses and volunteer networks, there are so many benefits to come. But we need certainty and confidence that things are happening now, things will happen on time, and things will be complete by the time the King's Baton makes it to the MCG for the opening ceremony on March 17, 2026. Plus they haven't picked a mascot yet.

2026 Commonwealth Games: Questions Ballarat needs answered | ANALYSIS By Alex Ford Ballarat Courier June 21 2023 - 4:00am Premier Daniel Andrews and Dame Louise Martin at the Commonwealth Games announcement in April 2022 - with concept art for a mascot, stadium, and village. To mark 1000 days until the 2026 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony - and all the global attention that will come to Ballarat, Geelong, Bendigo, and Morwell - the big question on everyone's lips is; Will we be ready? Having a world spotlight on your city may be great for exposure but it also comes with the onus of getting it right. This is not to say we don't have confidence in the Games - but there are still many unknowns and here are some key questions Ballarat wants to know to avoid a rush job. One thousand days and five questions. WHEN WILL CONSTRUCTION BEGIN? Ballarat will get hundreds of millions of dollars worth of infrastructure upgrades, including $50 million for an accessible overpass at the Ballarat station, a new athletics track, and extra seating at Eureka Stadium. Combine that with the plans for a village that can hold at least 1800 athletes, and it's a big ask for a massive legacy for the city. Already, tenders have gone out for several of these projects, including bonuses like a major upgrade to sports facilities in Miners Rest, and geotechnical testing has been completed at Eureka Stadium with designers appointed. But we're still in the dark as to when the heavy lifting will begin for these transformational projects, and the clock is ticking. HOW MUCH PERMANENT HOUSING WILL BE BUILT IN DELACOMBE? We've had ministers saying they're working on it, we've had concept designs released, we've had tenders go out for soil remediation - we've even got the exact number of bedrooms that will be available, and how many storeys each building will be. But what Ballarat does not yet know is exactly how much of the athletes' village will be permanent new townhouses, and how many will be portable or temporary. The hope is we get an amazing new mini-suburb with full amenities for the people who need it most - the fear is that we get a new caravan park to welcome some of the world's best athletes. HOW MUCH WILL COUNCIL HAVE TO PAY? There's been a few questions about this in state parliament, and it seems it's a "how long is a piece of string" question. Despite the City of Ballarat appointing a new director for the Games - as well as "Economy and Experience" - councils across the state are still unsure how much they'll be asked to contribute to help put the Games on. That's in addition to the $2.6 billion over five years the state government committed in 2022, keep in mind. HOW WILL PEOPLE GET TO THE GAMES? We've heard that cars will be banned from around Eureka Stadium and BSEC during the Games, which will mean closing Creswick Road for at least a couple of weeks - if not much longer. If that's the case, how will crowds of up to 34,000 people make it to the two stadiums? The plan, from what we can tell, is trains to Ballarat station and shuttle buses to the stadium, as it's a 2.6 kilometre walk back into town. While many in the city have advocated for a new events-only train platform next to the stadium, it appears it'll be unlikely to happen, given time and funding constraints, so let's hope there's a good plan to move people around. WHAT WILL BE HAPPENING IN TOWN DURING THE GAMES? Tickets to the events will be snapped up quickly - this is a once-in-a-lifetime gig - and the state government has promised cultural events and shows in the lead-up to and during the Games as well, to encourage visitors to learn about the host cities and show off a bit. But it's not quite clear how much money will be spent on these events, who will pay for them, or even what they will be. Could it be live music during each night in the CBD? Could it involve Traditional Owners, to show Ballaarat's long history? Could it encourage visitors to stay the night in Ballarat and try out our hospitality? CAN WE PULL IT OFF? There is no doubt the Commonwealth Games will be something special, and things will get really exciting in the next two-and-a-bit-years. From inspiring children and young athletes, to putting Ballarat directly on the world map for incredible experiences, to building capacity for our businesses and volunteer networks, there are so many benefits to come. But we need certainty and confidence that things are happening now, things will happen on time, and things will be complete by the time the King's Baton makes it to the MCG for the opening ceremony on March 17, 2026. Plus they haven't picked a mascot yet.

Commonwealth Games 2026: 1000 days to go By Melanie Whelan Ballarat Courier June 21 2023 - 4:30am Shepparton's BMX rider Cooper Bromley, Gippsland badminton players Stuart Ottrey and Alicia Cook, Bendigo netballer Ruby Barkmeyer, Geelong para-triathlete Jeremy Peacock and Ballarat triple and long jumper Molly Fraser. Picture by Alex Coppel. NATIONAL under-18 triple jump champion Molly Fraser can still hardly believe the Commonwealth Games athletics program will soon arrive in her backyard. Today marks 1000 days until the 2026 Regional Victoria Commonwealth Games. The prospect helped to spur the 17-year-old on to her gold earlier this year and offers a little extra motivation for training this winter. "I'm really excited and I think the whole athletics community is excited but I don't think Ballarat has really started to support the idea yet and realise we're going to have world class athletes here," Molly said. Molly hopes to follow the footsteps of Australian Olympian Brooke Buschkuehl, née Stratton, who won long jump silver in last year's Birmingham Commonwealth Games. In the week the Victorian Games opens, Molly will turn 20 years old. She knows there is a big journey ahead in trying to qualify but was confident Ballarat had a strong pool of talent that would be in the mix to compete at Eureka Stadium. "A lot of things need to go right to get there but I'm hoping in the future that I can compete at the Games, especially because it's in my hometown that is something that is out of this world," Molly said. "Honestly, I never ever expected them to be here." Ballarat will host athletics' track and field program at Eureka Stadium (better known as Mars Stadium) and boxing at Ballarat Sports and Events Centre (Selkirk Stadium). Mountain biking will be in Creswick. Australia's chef de mission Petria Thomas, an Olympic swimmer, said there was plenty of excitement building across the state. "If the Games were a relay, we'd be at the first change with three legs to go," Thomas said. "We've now visited each of the host cities and intend to formalise our delivery plans for the Australian team across the course of this year. The multi-city model presents us with a new challenge and we're tackling it head on to ensure the best high-performance environment and overall experience for Australia's team members."