Redland unveils plan for tourist complex with lagoon
Redland City Council in Australia has unveiled the final plan and visualisations for the 62-hectare Birkdale Community Precinct. The tourism and recreation area is planned to be created around 23 kilometres from Brisbane, ABC News Australia reports.
Lagoon and Olympic centre
The project includes a 2,000-square-metre outdoor lagoon next to the Whitewater Centre canoe slalom venue. This facility is planned to be used for canoe slalom competitions at the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games.
Acting Redland Mayor Julie Talty said the lagoon would be better than Brisbane's South Bank lagoon. According to her, the opportunity to combine the lagoon with the Whitewater Centre emerged thanks to the Olympics and the construction of this facility.
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Infrastructure and timeline
The Birkdale Community Precinct is also expected to include hotels, restaurants, an event venue, a zip line, a bushwalking trail and a screen for watching films from the pool. Construction is planned to begin in mid-2027, with the complex expected to open by around 2030.
The Whitewater Centre will be maintained and managed by the city council using local taxpayers' funds. Talty said the council's financial modelling envisages the centre being self-sustaining and able to partly cover the costs of the lagoon complex.
Opponents of the Whitewater Centre call the project a waste of money and express concerns that it will place a permanent burden on the local economy after the Olympics. Talty said that when the centre is not used by athletes or emergency services training participants, it is planned to be used as a lazy river for recreation.
