The new Ballymore will be humming for years to come as the redevelopment of Queensland Rugby's spiritual home finally gets under way.
Make no mistake, if the Queensland Rugby Union hadn’t got so strongly on board with the idea that Ballymore should become the national base for women’s rugby and the Wallaroos, there wouldn’t be a redevelopment.
Put it this way, the 1980s plan for Bears at Ballymore would have crashlanded because a blokey, largely private club in the precinct for rugby’s inner circle to pander to themselves would not fly in the 2020s.
The new Ballymore has something for the whole community, starting with a new 25m swimming pool, revitalised park, an outdoor climbing centre and green space as well as providing modern facilities for men’s and women’s rugby.
That’s why $30 million in Federal and State money is being put into the project and an additional $1.5 million from believers through the Queensland Rugby Union Foundation.
You could hear where the enthusiasm of Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was directed when she took shovel in hand and broke ground on the National Rugby Training Centre on Tuesday.
When Buildcorp finish the job in 14 months, rugby in Queensland will have new life, Brisbane will have a new venue for hockey for the 2032 Olympics and women in rugby will have a new national headquarters.
Grace Grace, the local State Member for McConnel, didn’t really mind who heard when she met with 2016 Rio Olympics rugby sevens gold medallist Shannon Parry, Queensland Reds winger Ivania Wong and other female players at the ceremony.
“The best part of this is women getting their own home,” Grace said.
The old grandstand at Ballymore was so dilapidated that even Queensland rugby great Paul McLean believed it should be bulldozed. And he had the family name on it.
One of the upbeat parts of this Ballymore process is that it won’t mean the Wally Grout Bar and Don Tallon Bar disappearing forever like when the Gabba was redeveloped.
“We are keeping the McLean name on the new stand,” Premier Palaszczuk said.
The ever-humble McLean is just the best known of a famous family which has produced seven internationals.
“We are equally proud of the new grandstand. There are sons, daughters, grandsons and granddaughters all around the place who will enjoy it as much,” McLean said.
“This is the next stage. It’s exciting not just for rugby but other sports as well to add gravitas to Ballymore.”
So what is rising on this almost sacred rugby site?
An integrated grandstand for 3010 fans will replace the old McLean Stand. It will house a 700 square metre elite gym, aquatic recovery centre, a 75-seat auditorium, a 120-person function room and a players’ lounge.
Three allied health/sports medicine buildings have been approved to add to the heartbeat of the place and generate much-needed revenue for rugby.
The NRTC has been designed by architects Blight Rayner to easily switch from high-performance centre to the centrepiece of a 15,000-capacity stadium.
You can imagine it hosting club grand finals, pre-season trials and even a Reds game outside of the Super Rugby Pacific season.
With the 2023 FIFA World Cup for women, the 2025 British and Irish Lions rugby tour and the strong possibility of the 2027 Rugby World Cup travelling through Brisbane, there are major events even before the 2032 Olympics.
"Thank you to the Federal Government and local member Trevor Evans for their commitment to the construction of the National Rugby Training Centre. Our thanks also goes to the Queensland State Government and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Sport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe and local member Grace Grace for making this Ballymore redevelopment possible," QRU chief executive David Hanham said.
“This is a milestone day for Queensland rugby. It is the rebirth of Ballymore and a wonderful precinct will be delivered.”
