Council approves Stockland Park upgrade
Sat 05 June 2010
Rebecca Russell, Bachelor of Journalism
The Sunshine Coast Regional Council (SCRC) has signed for a $10 million upgrade to Stockland Park, to be completed by May, 2011.
The upgrade will include 1000 undercover spectator seats, as well player change rooms to a national standard, public toilets and canteen facilities.
Sunshine Coast Regional Council business project manager Paul Coffey said the upgrade will bring benefits not only for the sporting community, but the community as a whole.
Mr Coffey said the upgrade is good value for money, and will give rugby league, rugby union and soccer clubs a proper platform to build their support, which will flow on to junior participation in sport.
“At the moment, those three representative clubs are operating basically out of dongas,” Mr Coffey said.
“It’s pretty sub-standard, and it’s way behind what’s happening pretty much elsewhere in Queensland, let alone Australia.”
The upgrade will also increase the number of events played, which will attract spectators from outside of the Sunshine Coast to spend money and provide a boost to the tourism industry and local economy.
Mr Coffey said the new facilities will provide the opportunity to cater for various national and international sporting teams using the facility for training purposes, particularly leading up to international events being held in Australia.
Mr Coffey also said the council hoped for future expansion to cater for the current sporting codes and to attract other codes and cater for larger crowds.
“There will be not only hill seating, but more grandstands built over time, possibly to the point in the long term future where it’s another Lang Park, surrounded by grandstands,” Mr Coffey said.
Mr Coffey said traffic event management plans are put into place at major events, but that the SCRC is hoping to invest in greater public transport infrastructure to accommodate for the increased usage of the facility.
Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles chief executive officer Justin Veivers said the players and coaching staff at the club are excited about the upgrade, and believe it will provide a boost for the club.
Mr Veivers said the upgrade will be beneficial to the paying public, and will enable the club to offer more to potential sponsors and players.
“I think it gives us more credibility, there’s no doubt in the world about that,” Mr Veivers said.
“I think it makes us look more professional to outside organisations, so therefore [it offers] a bit more credibility, and credibility is really important when you’re trying to sell something to a player to come and play for you.”
The Sea Eagles have shown the plans for the upgrade to their receiver National Rugby League (NRL) club, the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, and have received a very positive response.
However, Mr Veivers said while the upgrade will assist in hosting more NRL pre-season games on the Sunshine Coast, it is only the first brick in the road to hosting regular NRL games or operating an NRL franchise in the region.
“I think we needed to prove to people that we could get things done,” Mr Veivers said.
“It doesn’t mean that we can then facilitate a team that’s going to cost $15 million a year, but what it does say is that we can start to do things here as an organisation, that we can start to have a base to build something of.
“I think it’s still an awful long way off.”
Mr Veivers said there are some good options available for rugby league on the Sunshine Coast in the future, such as a potential NRL franchise or a development base for another NRL club.
Mr Veivers also believes rugby league is set to boom in the region as a result of the immediate success that the Sea Eagles have achieved in the Queensland Cup and the number of talented footballers that have been generated from the area.
Mr Coffey said although there are no plans yet for the grand opening of the facility, the council is confident the project will be completed by the June 30 2011 deadline, as it is a requirement as part of the funding from the Federal Government’s Better Regions program.
Mr Coffey also stressed that the construction of the facility will not affect residents’ rates, as the revenue for SCRC’s $5 million contribution was raised through the sale of land by the former Caloundra City Council some time ago.
Mr Veivers provided an accurate summary of approval of the upgrade.
“It’s a really good facility and we just can’t wait for it to be up and running,” Mr Veivers said.
“People won’t know themselves when they come to a game.
“They’ll be in really good comfort and the plans are fantastic, so I think it’ll just be great.
“We’re just really excited about it.”
Image(s) designed by Rebecca Russell