COMMUNITY members will be involved in legacy planning for the Brisbane Olympics, with Redland City Council this week voting to set up a working group for the 2032 Games.
The group is likely to be made up of local volunteers from various fields, including education, transport, tourism, sustainability, business and sport.
It will look at legacy opportunities before, during and after the Games and be involved in the Redlands legacy plan.
- Also read: Redlands residents fume over whitewater rafting facility to be built on Birkdale heritage land after Brisbane secures 2032 Olympic games.
- Also read: Brisbane named host city for the 2032 Olympic Games, Redlands to host canoe slalom events
- Also read: Redland City Council commits to 2032 Olympics proposal
Terms of reference will be drafted outlining details about such things as membership selection and the group's function, with council voting unanimously in favour of the plan on Wednesday.
Cr Tracey Huges said the group would not have any authority to make decisions and would act only in a consultancy role.
"I think there is a lot of opportunity here for our city to support [the Games legacy], and we are really keen for them to become engaged with us," she said.
Group members would not be paid and members would likely only serve for a fixed term, with meetings expected to be held biannually.
Cr Paul Bishop said it was important that cultural, environmental and social considerations were not overlooked during legacy planning.
"I think that could build real momentum and achieve an outcome that doesn't just go down the fiscal path," he said.
"One of the concerns I believe residents have is the Olympics focus could go very much down the path of looking at the infrastructure opportunities and the built environment."
Redlands will have an important role to play in the 2032 Brisbane Games, with Birkdale to host canoe slalom events at a purpose-built whitewater facility.
Mayor Karen Williams said legacy planning would look at more than just infrastructure.
"The International Olympic Committee will be driving that very hard, I would imagine," she said.
"There are people from all over the country that are now looking at south-east Queensland and I want to make sure Redlands gets opportunities.
"The last thing we need to do is allow it to become too bureaucratic and too caught up in a decision making process that is not going to add value to the oppotunities that this will deliver."
Read more local news here
