POOL AND SKATEPARK ON TRACK
A GOLD Coast beachside suburb is to become the centrepiece of the city’s world-class sporting facilities.
New concept designs for the $50 million overhaul of Pizzey Park at Miami show an Olympic skatepark precinct will be the first part of the build which will continue until 2035. The project could be completed within a year.
A report to council said: “The popular skate park will undergo a significant expansion in 2020-21 with the inclusion of an Olympic standard street skate park facility. The skatepark expansion will also include works that will ultimately form the first stage of the central hub.
“Once complete the expanded facility will be capable of hosting Olympic training camps, Olympic qualifying events, highperformance athlete camps and skateboarding events up to international standard and will be the first facility of its kind in Australia.”
Area councillor Pauline Young said the feedback from the community across the past two years relating to the masterplan had been extremely positive.
The council was likely to receive some government funding to help complete the master plan.
Meanwhile, the $18 million redevelopment of the Miami Aquatic Centre is on track, with Mayor Tom Tate and swimming champion Giaan Rooney inspecting works at the facility on Tuesday.
The shell of the new 50metre Olympic pool is nearing completion, the new learn-to-swim pool is complete and the new administration building and car park are under construction.
“Miami is the city’s second most popular pool, attracting more than 350,000 patrons each year, but the centre has remained largely unchanged since it was built in the 1970s,” Councillor Tate said.
“This redevelopment will create a more contemporary facility which will continue to serve all ages in the community as well as, we hope, breed future champions like Giaan.”
Ms Rooney said she had fond memories of Miami from her squad training days, which began there in the early 1990s and prepared her for the 1998 and 2002 Commonwealth Games, as well as the 2000 Olympics.
Cr Tate said the centre’s reputation for breeding champion swimmers like Giaan, Grant Hackett, Karla Gilbert and Andrew Baildon made it a well-loved community facility.