THREE years out to the exact day for the 2026 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony and we are only a procurement pipeline closer to learning how this all might unfold.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
This pipeline was the big announcement from Commonwealth Games minister Jacinta Allan and Harriet Sing along with 2026 Games organising committee chief executive - the state's former COVID-19 commander - Jeroen Weimar to mark the milestone on Friday.
The goods and services pipeline is essentially a chance for businesses in regional Victoria to get involved in the state government's to-do list.
Dare we say the most glaring to-do jobs still seem a pipeline dream.
While we might not expect a check-box for build Eureka Stadium grandstands on a Victoria 2026 Procurement Victoria Activity Plan, a little teaser to works getting started on our most glaringly obvious needs would have been nice.
This is not to say the upcoming pipeline tenders for sporting equipment to medals, transport, security, catering, marketing or for telecommunications are not important. These opportunities, work hundreds of millions of dollars, will be crucial details to the biggest event staged in regional Victoria.
But as one colleague at The Courier continues to impress: it's tick-tock to the starting block.
And while starting blocks might be on the to-do list (sporting equipment), we are still unsure about a major overhaul to the stadium and stage on which they will feature.
Ballarat Regional Athletics Centre this week released its strategic plan for the next four years, positioning itself to become a major player in the development of the new athletics precinct set to be part of the Games legacy.
Key to the plan is building membership and retention along with a platform to boost female coaching numbers.
Other than knowing Eureka Stadium (better known as Mars Stadium) will need a temporary, international grade roll-out athletics track, a venue must be created in the precinct for athletics preparations.
This is intended to be a Games legacy, improved facilities for BRAC clubs to train and compete and boost their sport on the back of the inspiration we will see from the Commonwealth's best in our backyard. At three years to go, a little more detail would be great - at the very least to keep our grassroots clubs ready to live the dream.
Not to mention, the Creswick mountain bike track or modifications to Ballarat Sports and Events Centre (Selkirk Stadium) which has all-but-been-confirmed as our boxing venue.
READ MORE:
Pipeline details might be important, but the state government needs to let us in on the bigger picture to give us the biggest chance at pulling this off in stunning form.
When you see the likes of rising Australian sprint star Rohan Browning in a 200-metre showdown and world's fastest man Fred Kerley in Melbourne last month it is hard not to be excited about Ballarat's world-class athletics potential.
Browning is also a vital reminder we need to get moving on big Games projects - and fast.
MORE FROM THE PRESS BOX
Have you signed up to The Courier's variety of news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in Ballarat.
