Paul Allan from Arcadis: Victoria Park is “Vacant Land”
Very disappointing to hear Paul Allan from Arcadis, an Engineering, Design and Consultancy firm on ABC Brisbane Breakfast this morning promoting building a stadium in Victoria Park and stating that Victoria Park is “vacant land.”
Listen from 1:37:43 minute mark for the interview with Paul Allan.
Listen from 1:50:00 for Rosemary from the Save Victoria Park Group’s response to the interview.
Here is a summary of the main points which Rosemary made -
Victoria Park is a beloved park, not vacant land. It is not an unused development site.
Brisbane has very low amounts of inner city Green space compared to other major cities.
Sydney did not take parkland 25 years ago to build Homebush stadium, they used a contaminated industrial site which they remediated.
Victoria Park has a significant indigenous heritage which is being completely disregarded in this whole conversation.
Environmental concerns of removing valuable green space are being pushed to the side.
Victoria Park was 130 hectares, it is now 64 hectares because every few years politicians or someone with a vested interest comes in and thinks it’s okay to keep carving off more of the park.
There is not enough space for a stadium when you factor in the additional requirements which come with a stadium. The Herston side of the park is about 50 hectares. With the stadium also comes associated bridges, roads, corridors, car parks, an Olympic warm up track which has to be 400metres from the stadium.
The earth works required for the hilly landscape of Victoria Park is outrageously costly.
Victoria Park is a park which was given to the people in 1875 and it should be respected.