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The Gold Coast has been marked a ‘Living Legacy’ of mega-sport events by Brisbane 2032 leaders, following the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee Board’s two-day visit across the region.
President of the Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee Board, Andrew Liveris, said the visit gave Board members the opportunity to see first-hand the catalytic power of mega-sporting events to enhance and empower a city and region.
“On this visit we’ve seen exceptional Gold Coast sport venues, which will be used during Brisbane 2032, that were first delivered for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games,” Mr Liveris said.
“These venues are now actively being used by the community almost every day of the year, and they are used by elite Australian athletes, as well as grassroots community sport clubs.
“We even saw ‘The Rollers’, a Gold Coast wheelchair basketball team training yesterday, which shows the potential to drive inclusive community participation in sport as a legacy for Brisbane 2032,” he said.
In addition to venue tours the Board also met with local community and industry representatives, First Nations peoples and Gold Coast Junior Council representatives to understand the potential for social legacies driven through sport and mega sporting events.
Mr Liveris said he met with Gold Coast Junior Mayor Eva Cepero who shadowed City of Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate during the Board visit.
“I was impressed by the talent and passion displayed by young Gold Coast people like Junior Mayor Eva Cepero as well as the programs the City of Gold Coast put in place to foster the growth and success of the region’s youth.
“Programs like the Gold Coast Junior Council, the extensive youth sport programs, and the Gold Coast Youth Plan, demonstrate the value the City of Gold Coast places on supporting young people on pathways to success.
“The Gold Coast a progressive and innovative city. The people of the Gold Coast know their strengths in tourism but are also pushing the boundaries on arts and culture, education, sustainable living, and technology.
“A city that has a diverse offering for its people and visitors, is a true global city, and it’s clear to me that this is what Gold Coast will present in 2032.”
The Brisbane 2032 Board meeting on the Gold Coast is one of many to be held in the regions, reflecting the new format of Olympic and Paralympic Games to be hosted across numerous cities and towns, broadening the opportunity for participation, economic growth and community engagement in the movement.
The next Brisbane 2032 Board meeting is expected to be held in May this year in Brisbane.
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Quotes from leaders of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games
Australian Minister for Sport and Aged Care, the Hon. Anika Wells said:
“It is critical the Brisbane 2032 Olympics and Paralympics creates a human and infrastructure legacy beyond Brisbane and that cities like the Gold Coast reap lasting benefits.
“Gold Coast’s hosting of the Commonwealth Games proved the city can deliver on the world stage and the lessons learned from the 2018 event are crucial in making Brisbane 2032 the greatest Olympics and Paralympics event of all time.
“As Federal Minister for Sport, I am determined to support Australians from the playground to the podium.”
Premier and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Hon. Annastacia Palaszczuk said:
“It is great to welcome OCOG to the Gold Coast.
“The Coast is where our Olympic journey really began.
“Starting with the Commonwealth Games we are now on our way to hosting the biggest sporting event in the world and the Gold Coast plays a vital part.”
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said:
“The Coast played a critical role in the successful bid for the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics.
“The hugely successful 2018 Commonwealth Games provided a springboard for the 2032 regional bid. Today, we have secured the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics and our city again stands ready to deliver.
“From a legacy perspective, we want to see an uplift in transport connectivity across the entire SEQ region as well as improved open space like our planned Greenheart development.
“Legacy is not just about built-form infrastructure… it must involve community assets like nature sites and parklands.
“I know delegates here this week have been thrilled to see a city ready for 2032. We have the experience, reputation and capacity to deliver for all Australians.”
Paralympics Australia President Jock O’Callaghan said:
“If Brisbane 2032 is to be the transformational Games we are planning it to be, that change needs to be evident right across the regions hosting events.
“In 2018 the Gold Coast hosted a successful inclusive Commonwealth Games. The region has the opportunity to greatly expand on that legacy as we lead in to the Brisbane Paralympics.
“Australia’s Paralympic movement has a proud link to the Gold Coast. The area is home to many current and former Paralympians and is an exciting catchment for emerging talent. We hope to continue growing opportunities and access to sport for people with a disability throughout the region.”
Australian Olympic Committee President Ian Chesterman said:
“A thriving sport system can be one of the great legacies of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games and the Gold Coast can play a critical role in that legacy.
“Not only can the Gold Coast offer the world’s athletes an exceptional Games experience, sport in this region can be supercharged for generations to come.
“Mayor Tom Tate is a great supporter of sport and understands its enormous value to communities. The Gold Coast has already shown a great commitment to sport. Over the next two decades, I expect that this area will seize the opportunity that sport offers for better physical and mental health as well as community building, community engagement and pride,” Mr Chesterman said.
By: Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee
Posted: 24 March 2023
