Gold Coast Parklands

Gold Coast Parklands

Original Gold Coast Parklands sign removed from venue in 2013 prior to demolition of complex.
Opening date December 7, 1988 (1988-12-07)
Closing date 2013
Gold Coast Light Rail - Broadwater Parklands Station

The Gold Coast Parklands was a complex serving the grey hound and harness racing industries on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.[1] It opened on 7 December 1988 on the corner of Smith Street and Parklands Drive, Southport on the Gold Coast, Queensland at a cost of nine million dollars.[2]

History

Plans to build the complex began in 1983 when the Racing Minister for Queensland, Mr Russell Hinze, visited the Gold Coast. He was reportedly disappointed by trotting and grey hound racing facilities at Owen Park, Southport.[3] The decision was made to provide improved facilities at another location and State Government land and was selected opposite Griffith University.

The complex was managed by the Parklands Trust and was the home for a number of organisations[4] including the Gold Coast Show Society,[5] Gold Coast Greyhound Racing[6] the Parklands Indoor Sports Centre [7] and the Gold Coast Harness Racing Club.[8][9][10] Between 1993 and 2013 it was also the venue for the annual Big Day Out concert.[11][12] In 2007, The State Government announced plans to build a new hospital adjacent to the complex.[13] This resulted in the departure of Gold Coast Greyhound Racing from Parklands in 2009.[14][15] On 1 February 2013 the remaining part of the site was formally designated as the athletes' village for the 2018 Commonwealth Games[16][17] and was declared a Priority Development Area (PDA) by the Government of Queensland.[18] In August 2013 a call for stories, memories and photographs from the community to commemorate the history of Parklands was launched.[19][20] These stories and ephemera relating to the complex were donated to the City of Gold Coast Local Studies Library.

Demolition of the buildings on the site commenced in late 2013 and in December 2013 Grocon won the contract to build the village.[21]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Parklands Gold Coast
  2. ↑ The Gold Coast Bulletin. Southport. 25–26 August 2007. p. 56. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ↑ Gleeson, Peter (25 August 2007), "Politicians paw over Parklands showgrounds", The Gold Coast Bulletin, p. 58
  4. ↑ Kane, Charmaine; Lewis, David (5 April 2013). "Games athletes' village to oust community groups". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 3 March 2014.
  5. ↑ February 21st, 2013 by admin. (2013-02-21). "Home 2014". Gold Coast Show. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
  6. ↑ Wilson, Terry (30 July 2007), "Avid fans in mourning for final race of greyhounds : It's a dog gone shame", The Gold Coast Bulletin, p. 89
  7. ↑ "Parklands Indoor Sports Centre". Parklandsindoor.com. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
  8. ↑ "Harness Racing QLD". Harnessracingqueensland.com. 2014-02-13. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
  9. ↑ Roots, Chris (29 September 2013). "Parklands closure offers a new dawn for Coast". The Sun Herald Sydney. Sydney. p. 51.
  10. ↑ Gleeson, Peter (3 June 2008), "Greys dogged by rough trot", The Gold Coast Bulletin, p. 47
  11. ↑ The Gold Coast Bulletin. Southport. 10 August 2005. p. 13. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  12. ↑ "Parklands fears losing its biggest earner", The Gold Coast Bulletin, 24 August 2008
  13. ↑ The Gold Coast Bulletin. Southport. 25–26 August 2007. p. 56. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  14. ↑ Hickson, Kate (22 September 2010), "Anger as greyhound track goes to the dogs", The Gold Coast Sun, p. 9
  15. ↑ Cameron, Peter (29 March 2011), "Patter of greyhounds may yet be heard at Parklands", The Gold Coast Bulletin, p. 19
  16. ↑ "Planning commences for Commonwealth Games Village". The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC). 1 February 2013. Retrieved 3 March 2014.
  17. ↑ Hurst, Daniel (29 May 2012). "Games tick: new board, same decision". The Brisbane Times. Brisbane: Fairfax Media. Retrieved 3 March 2014.
  18. ↑ Commonwealth Games Village
  19. ↑ Help Save 25 Years of Parklands Memories
  20. ↑ Parklands Gold Coast
  21. ↑ Wilmot, Ben (17 December 2013), "Grocon wins contract to build Games village", The Australian, retrieved 6 March 2014

Bibliography

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