Phillip ice rink, part of the Phillip Swimming and Ice Skating Centre, is rustic, to say the least, but is Canberra’s only ice sports facility at the moment. Photo: File.
With the election out of the way, the focus will now be on the Barr-led government’s ability to fulfil promises – including those related to sport.
It now appears a fait accompli that the Civic Olympic Pool site won’t be the new home for the Raiders and Brumbies. Instead, the focus seems to be on building a stadium on the existing footprint at Bruce.
The hope is that it will be completed in the early 2030s.
It will be interesting to see if the proposed aquatic centre in Commonwealth Park comes to fruition. I would imagine there is plenty to negotiate before it even leaves the drawing board.
An aquatic centre has been part of the long-term vision for the City-to-the-Lake concept, although many thought the centre would be constructed on the Acton site.
Canberra’s bid for a Big Bash franchise is also gathering momentum, with the government promising significant funding and support. At the same time, there remains uncertainty about the level of support for the A-League bid.
While this flurry of activity is flavour of the month, spare a thought for the Canberra ice sports fraternity.
A new ice sports facility in Tuggeranong was an election promise in 2016.
As of today, not a sod of soil has been turned on the allocated site, Roland Rees Crescent in Greenway.
The proposed Canberra Arena ice sports facility, to be constructed at Greenway, could be built by 2025. Photo: ACT Government.
It wasn’t mentioned during this year’s election campaign, prompting some to fear that it may have disappeared into the ether.
On the ACT Government’s website, there are details of the government’s $16.2 million commitment to build two international standard ice sheets for figure skating, broomball, ice hockey and speed skating, with the ability to host 3600 spectators.
The complex would also include an indoor rock-climbing facility.
In the public-private partnership, Cruachan Investments and Pelligra Holdings will build, own, operate and maintain the facility to be known as the Canberra Arena.
There were hopes that it would be operational by 2025. Unless there is a rapid build, that timeframe would seem unlikely.
Part of the delay comes down to changes to the Territory Plan impacting on the allocated site.
Sandi Logan, spokesperson for the ACT Ice Sports Federation, remains optimistic.
“There is concern within the ice sports community that it is taking so long, but we recognise with public-private infrastructure facilities, there can be delays.”
Meanwhile, the ice sports facility at Phillip is nearing the end of its natural life and is being kept afloat by developers GEOCON, which owns the site.
Phillip ice rink is being kept alive through GEOCON. Photo: File.
The facility is rustic, to say the least, but it is Canberra’s only ice sports facility at the moment. As Logan says, the support of the developers has been crucial in keeping the rink alive, and he acknowledges positively “the commitment of GEOCON to maintain and improve the facility at Phillip.”
Added to the mix has been the campaign to keep the ice sports facility in Phillip amidst concerns about the lack of sporting amenities in the Woden area.
The hope in the ice sports community in Canberra is that they haven’t been forgotten in the city’s facilities plan.
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