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."

No time for event platform in Commonwealth Games | Jacinta Allan Committee for Ballarat chief executive Michael Poulton disappointed about event platform news. Picture by Adam Trafford. City leaders say a key piece of transport infrastructure has passed the city by, as the state government appears to be turning its back on the option of a rail platform for the Commonwealth Games. While the additional infrastructure would make it more simple for spectators from the Games to attend events at Mars and Selkirk stadiums, an additional platform would become a key part of the city's future transport plans. The City of Ballarat has been advocating for this project for almost a year, but the state government has been reluctant to shed any light on its transport master plan. Commonwealth Games delivery minister Jacinta Allan said there was "simply a factor of time" when questioned about the events platform on Tuesday at the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee. Committee for Ballarat chief executive Michael Poulton said we were outgrowing the train infrastructure we currently had. The Maryborough train line (top left of the stadium) runs past Eureka Stadium along Creswick Road. Picture by Adam Spencer According to the ABS there are 117,500 people in the Ballarat urban area as of June 2023, with another 25,000 more expected over the next ten years with affordable land now unlocked in the West and particularly North growth zone 1 km North of Eureka Stadium. Despite Bendigo having a smaller population, by about 10,000 people in it's urban area, there are five train stations. Mr Poulton said an events platform could have brought forward a project we certainly would need in the future. "If we can build an athletes' village and the other infrastructure builds that we require, then an event platform at the level we're talking about is not unreasonable," he said. Mr Poulton said if the city was to move away from the reliance on cars and cark parks in the central business district, then more train options were needed. "The system is not set up right now for intra-city commuting via rail," he said. "Right now the concept of doing that is remote because the only options you have are Wendouree and Ballarat Central stations." Rail futures institute president John Hearsch said there was still time to develop more rail infrastructure before the Games. "Where there's a will there's a way, and of course when there's no will there is no way," he said. Mr Hearsch said there would also need to be some more considerations into what kind of services would be required considering the limited number of services currently running on the Maryborough line, and more investigation would be needed into rail signalling as the location opposite the stadium was close to level crossings. The platform would need to be disability-compliant, have power for lighting, and roadworks would be needed to ensure vehicle access. Mr Hearsch said the time involved sorting out the signaling would take longer than building the platform itself. "If the government made a decision today and were willing to fund it, I have no doubt that it could be in place for the Games." Liberal Commonwealth Games spokesperson David Southwick said in a statement it was disappointing. "Given the Commonwealth Games will be the biggest event regional Victoria has ever hosted, a dedicated events platform at Mars Stadium shouldn't be out of the question," he said. "The growth and development of Ballarat is crucial to the future of our state."

Mayor says all options on the table for Commonwealth Games village By Greg Gliddon, and Nieve Walton June 8 2023 - 12:00pm The 2026 Commonwealth Games facility has been slated for the old saleyards site in Delacombe. Picture supplied Ballarat's mayor says "all options" are on the table for the permanent nature of the city's athletes' village. The 2026 Commonwealth Games facility has been slated for the old saleyards site in Delacombe. Mayor Des Hudson told the media "you don't want something that doesn't leave the right legacy". "I'm very open-minded into what it can be," he said. "If there is a situation where a mix of temporary that can be moved off-site afterwards, if that's a better option going forward, then that's something we should definitely be looking at and willing to accept." The state government has often sited the legacy of housing from an athletes' village as one of the great wins of a host city. In October 2022, when deputy premier Jacinta Allan announced the saleyards as the village location, she said the project would be a "great legacy outcome". "Adding to Ballarat housing stock, particularly looking at how we can add to that affordable and social housing." This was an important legacy point for the City of Ballarat. In the Commonwealth Games document from July 2022, they said additional housing stock was needed and this village could provide the opportunity to create significant housing options. Similar messages have been championed by Ballarat leaders and housing researchers. Cr Hudson said "we certainly need to get on with the job" of building the village. "We are just two years and eight months away from when we would expect athletes to be going in, the state government will be aware of those pressures. The minister has taken control of that site so it will be done under the delegation of the planning minister, which is great." The Ballarat village will include an estimated 301 new houses; tenders for soil remediation are expected to be announced in the middle of this year, while early civil works are scheduled to begin in August and construction from October 2023. Now before the detractors all start getting excited, remember that the 2026 villages were always going to be a mixture of transportable and permanent homes. The transportables are likely to be a mixture of 3 and 4 bedroom houses like these and simple Granny Flats (Below) that can be used after the games by housing ministry to support elderly living with their families: If we consider that this was the standard for the 2006 Comm Games, then this is a good outcome: The image above clearly illustrates that the 2006 Village was a mixture of permanent and transportable houses and cabins.

As we await announcements of facility designs and successful builders the following articles appeared in yesterday's and today's Ballarat Courier: Call for Commonwealth Games to benefit wider region - Yesterday By Adrian Black Updated June 7 2023 - 11:41am, first published 11:22am Councils want more investment before 2026 Games The state's 10 biggest regional centres, including Ballarat, want extra funding for the 2026 Commonwealth Games that will help promote and benefit wider regional Victoria beyond the competition's host cities. So far, Ballarat has had major commitment for an upgrade of Mars Stadium and the sporting precinct, the athletes village at the saleyards and capital works at the Ballarat station (With the Ballarat Station works being funded from a separate infrastructure budget). Now Regional Cities Victoria (RCV) has proposed an $80 million package to be spent on sporting facilities, parklands, open spaces and a tourism campaign for the games across the state. The Commonwealth Games are expected to generate about $3 billion for Victoria, but funding allocations for the event were absent in recent state and federal budgets. The Games will be held across parts of regional Victoria, including Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat, Gippsland and Shepparton. RCV chair and Bendigo Mayor Andrea Metcalf said the 2026 Games represented a unique opportunity that should benefit the whole state. "This is the time for regional Victoria to shine on the world stage and we must ensure that we build on this exposure, maintaining momentum as we showcase our amazing regional cities and get long-term value out of the investment made through the Games," she said. "It is a priority that First Peoples and traditional owners are engaged in all aspects of the games delivery and ensure they reflect Victoria's rich cultural history." Regional cities needed assurance the state government would invest in its regions after the regional jobs and infrastructure fund was discontinued in May's budget, she said. A Victorian government spokesman said more than $41 billion had been spent across rural and regional Victoria since 2015. "We're getting on with delivering the Commonwealth Games, with our $2.6 billion to ensure a long-lasting legacy across regional Victoria," the spokesman said. "Victoria 2026 will create local jobs, deliver a legacy of affordable and social housing and world-class sporting facilities, boost inclusion and participation - delivering the significant economic benefits of one of the world's largest sporting events to regional Victoria - before, during and after the competition finishes." About a quarter of Victorians - 1.5 million people - live in regional areas and more than half of those live in regional cities. The RCV proposal calls for hosting and training opportunities in regional Victoria, $2 million for each of its 10 member councils to upgrade sporting facilities, $30 million for parks and open spaces and $30 million for a tourism campaign. It also wants free cultural activities, a new local Victoria Skills Authority liaison officer based in each regional city and a commitment that regional and Indigenous-owned businesses would be at the top of procurement lists. Ballarat still waiting on Commonweath Games transport plan - Today By Greg Gliddon, and Nieve Walton June 8 2023 - 5:30am Drone photo over Ballarat train station. Picture by Tony Ford Buses will play a key role in the 2026 Commonwealth Games, the government has confirmed, which is concerning city leaders about Ballarat's already dysfunctional (Melbourne designed) intra-city bus network and fears a dedicated sports-precinct rail platform for the Eureka Sports Precinct will miss out. Public transport minister Ben Carroll, speaking before the public accounts and estimates committee on Tuesday, said "the bus network is going to be very important for the Commonwealth Games". He said there "might not be significant funds" in the 2023/24 budget, but they "very much have eyes to the future" in relation to how flexi-services would work. He said "above and beyond the V/Line network", buses would play a part in moving people between regional areas - as well as from Melbourne - into the rest of the state for the sports spectacular. It is understood the plan for the Games will involve different modes of transport, and buses moving people between venues, villages and accommodation will play a role. With an expectation of between 20,000 and 30,000 people attending popular athletics sessions, the logistics of the buses - including where to park them or who is to drive them - are not yet clear. A Victoria 2026 spokesperson said they were working with operators, councils and transport authorities to "develop our integrated transport plan". "This is one of the many opportunities for regional cities to show they can host large events on the world stage." The spokesperson was unable to reveal the completion timeline for the transport plan or if it would be revealed to the public. City of Ballarat mayor Des Hudson has been advocating for a review on the local bus network, especially after hearing citizens' responses on how difficult it can be to navigate and use effectively. General advocacy for the bus review outside of council has been ongoing for five years. While there was no funding in the budget for a Ballarat network review, Cr Hudson said they would continue with their advocacy for this project. What about the events platform? Committee for Ballarat chief executive Michael Poulton said he was "concerned that those comments [by Mr Carroll] suggest a third platform in Ballarat seems to be getting further and further away". He said a Games platform "makes absolute sense" because of the number of people anticipated to arrive at the stadium, both for the Games but also other events into the future as the upgrades to the stadium were a part of a bigger events precinct in conjunction with the Ballarat Sport and Events Centre. A third platform in Ballarat will also play a role in transport options as the city grows. Cr Hudson confirmed to the media the council would continue to advocate for a Games platform. This is a project they have been speaking about since 2022, first appearing in a document where they outlined the different ways the Games can deliver legacy infrastructure in Ballarat. "I think it has a strategic purpose, not just for Commonwealth Games but I think also for Western Bulldogs or other events," Cr Hudson said. "If there are a significant number of people coming who are going to use trains to get to and from Ballarat, that would need a significant number of buses that will have to weave their way through as opposed to an extra platform a few hundred metres down the track." Cr Hudson said this would also fit in with plans for the city's northern growth zone. "We would see it being a long-term investment about some of our transport concerns as to how we deal with our growth going forward," he said. "We'll continue to push for that and we know that other members of the community are also keen to provide that voice as well." Mr Poulton said there was no silver bullet for our transport needs both for the 2026 Games and beyond. "A combination of active transport, foot cycling, shared transport services, public transport, train and buses will be required to get the number of people around our city," he said. "Given the state government's desire for a zero-emissions Games, any development in the bus infrastructure must be zero-emissions buses." This could bring electric and hydrogen buses into regional areas and investigations are needed to determine our infrastructure needs to support this. Mr Poulton said if we were to look into electric buses, we would also need infrastructure like charging stations to supplement this. "There are many examples around the world of cities larger than Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong that have been able to solve this problem," he said. "We should be looking to those as examples."

Oh no! Thank YOU yet again for offering nothing but criticism. Do you actually anything, and I do mean anything at all, positive to add to this thread? Or are you and Mr/Mrs/Ms/it/the/they Gonzo just both lurking around here to troll?

The Murdoch Press will attack the Andrews Government on anything that they can get a hold on. We do need to keep perspective. A $3 billion Comm Games is a drop in the ocean considering the tens of billions that Brisbane's Olympics will ultimately cost Aussie taxpayers. For goodness sake, the Federal Government and the QLD Govt have already committed to spending $7 billion on Brisbane's venues alone. The Murdoch media keep banging on about this $165 billion State debt which actually doesn't exist. It's the projected debt for 2026 if (and that's an "IF") the government kept spending on it's recent trajectory (accounting for COVID and accounting for the many major infrastructure projects under construction). However, as at 2023 the State's net debt is actually $113 billion (Whis is about $52 billion less than $165 billion in my calculations). Tomorrow's State Budget will reveal all, Comm Games funding along with budget cuts and all. The Games were budgeted in last year with moneys already being spent as we type. Further, as Premier Andrews rightly said two weeks ago, we don't yet know what contribution may be made from the Federal Government as there are still two Federal budgets between now and the Comm Games. Those willing to buy into the $165 billion lie ignore that the Victorian State Government has been heavily investing in massive infrastructure since 2014. In 2014 the State had $22 billion of net debt when the Andrews Government came to office. Since 2014 in Melbourne alone some 73 level crossings have been removed (So far), all freeways widened, North Link under construction, the Westgate Tunnel under construction, the 9km Metro railway tunnel under construction, huge hospital upgrades and rebuilds, hundreds of new trains for both city and country, 100s of km of regional railway lines upgraded for fast trains and upgrades to community sports facilities across the state. Victoria has mostly had to self-fund its infrastructure building with virtually no Commonwealth support since 2014 despite having the highest population growth in that time. That's where the debt mainly has been incurred. Covid directly cost the State Government $31 billion in support payments to businesses and individuals during lockdowns. So suddenly $113 billion has some perspective. Can anybody in Melbourne, who lives in Melbourne begin to imagine what Melbourne will be like 5 years from now without the major infrastructure projects that are being built ATM? It would literally grind to a halt in 10 years. It would be the most unliveable city in Australia at least. So to keep context, since 2014 the state's debt has grown $89 billion, including $31 billion from COVID, so it might well be argued that $57 billion is the real growth in state debt without COVID. There will be 6 million people living in Melbourne and almost eight million in Victoria by the time that they are lighting the Olympic flame in Brisbane. Since Melbourne hosted the 2006 Comm Games it has grown by Adelaide (Yes it's physically grown by 1.5 million people ... Imagine building Adelaide from scratch in just 17 years ). But you won't see the facts or figures presented this way in any Murdoch newspaper or any of his TV channels. I don't like Dan Andrews, I didn't vote for his government, but I am a pragmatist. The Victorian Government have choices to make and it is likely that we will see many projects not commenced or scaled down. This is what we are expecting tomorrow. We will definitely see cuts to the public service (and likely privatisation and the outsourcing of those services Jeff Kennett style). We will likely see them abandon some major promises such as re-raising the SEC, the deferment of the Airport rail indefinitely or even the scaling down the suburban rail loop. It will be an interesting old Budget speech tomorrow night that's for sure.

From Ballarat Courier - Tuesday, 9 May 2023 - 1.15 pm Melanie Whelan Commonwealth Games 2026: no funding boost likely in 2023 federal budget Victorian Deputy Premier and Commonwealth Games Delivery Minister Jacinta Allan says talks are ongoing with the federal government on Commonwealth Games funding opportunities. Picture by Adam Trafford DO NOT look to the federal budget for a Commonwealth Games booster. Games Delivery Minister Jacinta Allan has confirmed conversations with the federal government remained ongoing in funding for the 2026 Games in regional Victoria. Minister Allan said the state had been putting forward "the opportunity for [the federal government] to partner in a 50-50 way similar to other investments that have been made". The Courier understands the Commonwealth Games has been entirely a state government project and bid, unlike the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, and the Federal Government need not offer funding. The minister was in Miners Rest (8 km NW of Ballarat CBD) on Tuesday morning to announce development of a new sporting hub for the township as part of the $150 million upgrades needed for Eureka Stadium to host athletics in the Games. The Miners Rest facility will offer a temporary base to the North Ballarat Football Netball Club amid redevelopment works at Eureka (better known as Mars) Stadium and then be handed to the community for use. Minister Allan confirmed the $150 million Eureka Stadium package has been fully funded by the state government. This comes in the wake of City of Greater Geelong leaders having previously expressed their concerns about the cost for their city and flagging the likelihood of rate rises and increased borrowing to pull off Games delivery. City of Ballarat Mayor Cr Des Hudson told The Courier in March that it was still too early to estimate financial impacts of hosting the Games and that the City of Ballarat was always faced with balancing competing priorities. Minister Allan said the state had been having "constructive conversations" will all councils hosting the Commonwealth Games. Aside from the opening ceremony at the MCG, the Games will be shared across Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong and Gippsland. Athletics and boxing will be on show in Ballarat's Eureka sporting precinct, while Creswick will host mountain biking. All cities will also feature Games activations and Ballarat will also be home to one of four athletes' villages. "...This is an investment, an opportunity to make investment in local sporting facilities and bring forward upgrades that have long been on council plans, like the one here at Miners Rest," Minister Allan said. She said talks with councils were at different stages but thanked them for the "great spirit in partnership" in delivering the Games. Minister Allan reiterated the significant benefits from the Games were not just in global tourism but the enduring legacy of facilities and visitation. ROOBLU: In my personal opinion, Victoria should not be expecting or demanding a cent from the Federal Government as the Games were taken on and negotiated for solely by the Victorian State Government directly with the CGF, and at no stage was there any direct consultation between the State and Federal Government where the Federal Government may have agreed to fund the 2026 Games in any capacity as far as anybody is aware. I'm afraid that the Victorian Government will likely have to absorb all costs, even though the Federal Government will directly benefit from GST and other income taxes collected from all revenue windfalls that the Games will generate. That's how the cookie crumbles. I am not sure what funding arrangements have been for previous Comm Games in Perth 62, Brisbane 82 or Gold Coast 2018, but as far as I can recall there was very little if any Federal funding for the 2006 Comm Games for infrastructure or venues (Keeping in mind that the Federal Government with-held $90 million that they had promised to assist with redevelopment of the MCG and the Bracks Government had to finally contribute the Federal Government's share). The Federal Government did supply soldiers, bases and other Defence equipment to assist with security in 06, but again I cannot vouch as to whether Victoria was subsequently presented with a bill for this and had to reimburse the Commonwealth for use of those assets at the time. Perhaps someone else can enlighten us.

The Organising Committee today sent out a call to the TV and Radio networks for broadcast rights to the Games. The Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games Committee have today released a Tender calling for Expression of Interest No: PRO. TEC.BRD.01 Information Technology Broadcasting and Communications. In English this translates to: "Victoria 2026 requires the procurement of host broadcast services for the purpose of delivering domestic and international television and radio coverage of the Games. Victoria 2026 is seeking a highly experienced and reputable organisation with the capacity and capability to plan and deliver the host broadcast services. The services required include the delivery of a turn-key solution to provide a host broadcaster for a major international sporting event such as the Games." EOI documents are attached to the Tender Request. The Tender closes at 5 pm, Monday 15 May 2023.

I rather like the idea of making them swim laps of the Yarra. I mean if the swimmers are good enough to survive that crap then they all deserve a Gold Medal for even attempting it. Those who are reluctant to take a dip in the river should be encouraged to to at least attempt it underturd.

Yes it would, remember that some several thousand temporary seats and canopies had to be installed at the time to bring the MSAC capacity to just 10,500 for the 2006 Games. Even then it was considered far too small when controversially only several weeks later a temporary pool was installed at Rod Laver Arena to host the 2006 World Swimming Championships. Many asked back then why the MSAC was built so small in the first instance, and of course there was controversy over the usage of the water for a temporary pool at RLA while the whole State was in the grip of a deep and worsening drought. The MSAC only has capacity for 3,500 and would need to be heavily modified to add 10,000 seats and the diving would still need to be conducted separately inside in the 2,500 seat diving pool. Meanwhile a booming part of Geelong that is developing now as the epicentre of the Bellarine Peninsula and Surf Coast's population would completely miss out on an aquatic centre ... probably for decades. End result ... Melbourne hosts yet another big event, gets to feel all warm and fuzzy for a couple of weeks before brushing that off to focus on the F1 Grand Prix. The temporary stands are disassembled at the MSAC and Southern Geelong has no pool complex and no positive legacy from the Games.

It seems that Victorian governments (State and local) are all discovering a new mantra of Austerity. The Victorian State budget is due to be handed down on 23 May. There is already talk of huge cuts of up to 15% in some services, while many "Big Build" projects (including the Airport rail link and the Northern Freeway Link) may be delayed, scaled back or cancelled. Locally, in Ballarat the Council have stated in their preliminary budget report that they are going to simply complete existing projects that are underway and not commence any new capital works projects while inflation remains high, a shortage of builders prevails and until the cost of builing materials stabilises, although they have announced a 3.8% increase in residential rates. This seems to be the trend where Bendigo are talking similar. All councils across Victoria are still fixing roads damaged from last year and are absorbing those costs as well. Will this affect the Comm Games? Probably not greatly. We might see greater use of relocatable homes and prefabrication in the villages using common designs. The venues won't be scaled back. I suspect that the transport plan will be trimmed to busses rather than gold plated with trains as a cost containment measure. They'll contain rathertan cut.