Townsville’s new stadium on track for 2020
09 April 2019
Townsville’s new $290 million
North
Queensland Stadium will be ready for the start of the 2020 NRL
Premiership Season despite unprecedented flooding earlier this year.
Housing and Public Works Minister Mick de Brenni said the
stadium
contractor,
Watpac, has sought an extension to the practical completion
date of the stadium, but remained confident the massive project would
still be open on schedule.
“Even with this inevitable delay we will still have plenty of time to
put the venue through all its paces and it is still on track to be ready
for the 2020 NRL season kick-off,” said Mr de Brenni.
“This is great news for Townsville and the Cowboys,” he said.
Mr de Brenni said his department was working with Watpac on an updated
program of works for practical completion of the stadium that reflected
the full impact of the extreme weather event.
“The floods had a huge impact on local businesses, including those
helping to build the stadium,” he said.
“It was always going to take some to gauge the full impact of the floods
and Watpac has now asked that we extend the practical completion date
and we are working through how we accommodate that.”
While the construction site itself was not severely affected, Mr de
Brenni said that during the event contractors and workers needed to go
and protect their homes and businesses, and those of their families and
friends, before the long task of cleaning up.
One business engaged with important work on the stadium that was
impacted by the floods is Waters Abrasive Blasting Services.
The company’s factory was severely affected by the monsoonal rains that
saw 1421mm of rain dumped on the city from 27 January to 9 February
2019.
General manager Chris Glendenning said his company was painting the
steel for the new stadium at the time of the floods and had subsequently
hired five extra staff to help complete the work.
“We had about a metre of
water through our yards and buildings and even once that was gone
still had problems with the roads being flooded,” he said.
“We lost about three weeks of work time thanks to the floods.
“It’s really hit this city hard.
“But the stadium is a great thing and will generate a lot of national
and international interest in Townsville and help revitalise the CBD.”
Mr Glendenning said he believed the stadium would become a focal point
for the entire
North Queensland region.
“The location is terrific and it’s really starting to look spectacular,”
he said.
Townsville Deputy Mayor Les Walker said the North Queensland Stadium was
one of the major projects supporting the city’s economic recovery.
“Townsville’s economy is turning around and major projects like the
North Queensland Stadium and the new water pipeline will support
thousands of local jobs between them,” Cr Walker said.
“The Stadium will also be so important in encouraging
urban renewal and
it has already attracted significant private investment into our city.
“Council is leveraging off this infrastructure investment to revitalise
our inner city through Townsville 2020 projects such as the Central Park
redevelopment and linking the Stadium Precinct through to the CBD.”
Mr de Brenni said everyone involved with the stadium was working hard to
get it finished.
“I have visited the site and Watpac have given me a promise that they
will make it happen on time,” he said.
--ENDS--
Source: Queensland Government - www.statements.qld.gov.au
Contact: Media contact: Shane Watson – 0400 859 356
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