Ballarat's only athletics reserve could be turned into an affordable housing hub if a new track and field centre is built for the Commonwealth Games, say civic leaders.
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Shifting Llanberris Athletics Reserve from Golden Point to the Ballarat Major Events Precinct, based around Mars Stadium, also has the backing of athletics managers and coaches who say the idea could be a once in a lifetime 'legacy' project for the city.
With Ballarat set to host the athletics among other events as part of the 2026 Commonwealth Games, a second track facility adjacent to Mars Stadium for warm-ups will be required, as stipulated by international athletics rules for a host city.
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The preferred positions for the new track and field complex precinct include the area to the south of the stadium, currently occupied by Ballarat Showgrounds and to the north, the privately-owned - but vacant - former John Valves site on Norman Street.
The current Llanberris site could also potentially be converted into at least part of the athlete's village, providing an inner-city location close to the action, and hopefully, social housing connected to the community.
Funding for major upgrades to the "Ballarat Major Events Precinct" around Mars Stadium is a top priority according to the City of Ballarat's election and budget advocacy documents.
Committee for Ballarat chief executive Michael Poulton said "it would make logical sense" for a new athletics facility.
"The state government needs to consider that Llanberris, as it is, is an ageing facility, so if the track stays as it currently is as the home of athletics, in two, three, five years time, we're going to be going back to the state government with a big ask for the redevelopment of that current site," he said.
"It makes sense to take this opportunity to give athletics a brand new facility and evolve Llanberris into something that's more usable for the community point of view.
"We're supporting the idea of freeing up Llanberris, moving it up to the new precinct and opening up the current Llanberris site to be open to affordable housing - we're in desperate need of housing stock in this city, particularly in-fill development, so I think it would be a really good outcome and I would imagine there would be incredibly good support for affordable housing."
The Ballarat Regional Athletic Centre manages the Llanberris site - hub manager Ashley Anderson said a move would be supported.
"There needs to be something to be made there. It won't be me making those decisions, it'll be the Commonwealth Games committee, the City of Ballarat and the state government who will be working together to work out how it is going to fit," he said.
"We know there are some limitations with the current facility at Llanberris, parking for one has been discussed for many years and there's not a lot of area for expansion.
"I think we can safely say, and the data says this, we are going to get a boost in numbers. Our numbers across the summer season have already increased and there's enough questions out there already as to whether the current facility is going to sustain the growth.
"We need to focus on the broader picture of the legacy and not just the infrastructure. I think in a perfect world, a potential new facility is a positive."
Athletics coach Neville Down said the current facility could be "limiting", particularly around parking, lighting, and space.
"Any new facility would be welcomed and embraced, because you can give it a new design and it can incorporate the necessary features and amenities that are required for a track," he said.
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"What's important is the facility has space. At the moment we have a nine-lane track, but we'd love extra lanes on the front and back straight which will mean no restrictions. sprinters, block starts, hurdlers, there's not the space for that to occur.
"Also having a facility where we can run races both ways to allow for favourable wind. At Llanberris, it's been notorious for sprinters always running into a head breeze. Every one of our 10 rounds this year we ran into a head wind.
"For the field facilities, they can put in places where athletes don't have any limitations on throwing and jumping events, limit the restrictions through a sensible design of the track."
However, City of Ballarat mayor Daniel Moloney cautioned "time and budget realities" could be hurdles for the proposal.
"We want a city where people think big with bold ideas, the challenge with the games is that there is now less than four years - some things may have to be staged over time," he said.
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"The question is what's achievable in four years - there are budget and time realities that will come into play.
"I'm not against the idea, it has some great potential, but it 's also too early at this stage to get excited about it until we know what's actually possible."
It's understood the state government may be making major funding announcements in relation to the Commonwealth Games in its 2022-23 budget on Wednesday - Wendouree MP Juliana Addison's office was contacted for comment.
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