A group of locals has strongly opposed plans to use Raymond Park, the only green space in Kangaroo Point, as a warm-up field for Olympic athletes, as residents start receiving letters informing them of a two-week site survey on Raymond Park to potentially prepare the area for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
The letter was taken as an indication that the redevelopment of Raymond Park will forge ahead even with little public consultations, as some residents claim that attempts to raise their concerns with officials have fallen on deaf ears.
Friends of Raymond Park Page has a copy of the letter on a post saying that the potential Olympic-standard warm-up track could leave eight families homeless as their houses are at the front of the park. Changes to the green might also destroy the community garden, remove the dog park and the outdoor gym, and impact the 100-year-old soccer club.
Paul, one of the residents whose houses could be resumed for a temporary event, also spoke on the radio with Bill McDonald. He said they have been trying to get answers about the plans but no one from the government has replied to their emails.
Max Chandler-Mather, the Federal MP for Griffith, reacted to the letter.
“The first letter residents of Kangaroo Point have received from the Government about the Olympics isn’t to offer a consultation, or ask them if they would like to host an Olympics warm-up track in their backyard, it’s been to inform them that the decision has apparently been made, congratulations, say goodbye to your local park,” Mr Chandler-Mather posted.
“The Queensland Government is pretending like this decision has already been made, when the Federal Government won’t even confirm if they support building a new stadium, let alone demolishing the Gabba, East Brisbane State School and Raymond Park.
“The Government has told residents it’s an “enormous privilege” to host the Olympics. Well it’s not a privilege to lose a brilliant local green space with 100-year-old fig trees, a playground, a dog park, the Kangaroo Point Rovers soccer club, and a community garden.”
No designs nor details of the project scope for the Raymond Park warm-up fields have been released. Both State and Federal Governments have yet to finalise the funding arrangement that will pay for the construction and refurbishment of Olympic facilities.
Meanwhile, Kangaroo Point residents have started a campaign to save Raymond Park and proposed Giffin Park in Coorparoo as the alternative for the warm-up track.
