The promise of new athletics facilities and upgrades to sporting stadiums across Ballarat is a small silver-lining in an otherwise "disappointing" day for Ballarat sporting community say sporting leaders.
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The scrapping of the 2026 Commonwealth Games, which were to be held in regional Victoria - due to the trebling of costs - is a major blow to local athletes and for those who have spent "hundreds of hours of good will" planning for the 12 day event in 2026
The state government has committed to upgrading facilities at both Mars Stadium and Ballarat Sports and Entertainment Centre (Selkirk Stadium).
It has also committed to a new athletics facility, but the timelines are now unclear.
Ballarat Regional Athletics Centre regional development leader Ashley Anderson said he was encouraged by the state government's commitment to a new facility, but was incredibly disappointed for a number of local athletes who will now no longer be able to showcase their talents in front of their home crowd.
"It's disappointing for local athletes and the entire athletics community," Anderson said.
"We now don't get to showcase Ballarat, it is disappointing for all of those within the City of Ballarat and within BRAC who were working so hard to create the environment we were wanting to showcase to the world.
"It's disappointing for the Commonwealth Games as a whole. They will now have to find another location and work through that.
"Considering the amount of work that has been already put in, to get this far and have it cancelled, there's no other word other than disappointing."
Anderson said there were now no guarantees that the set timeline of 2026 would remain in place.
"I think you were always pushing it for 2026, but it actually makes a bit of sense that if we do take it a bit slower, we can get it right the first time, but of course that then blows out everything regarding Llanberris Reserve at the same time," Anderson said.
"BRAC will be waiting for the $2 billion regional package to come out as they've said will occur in the next few days to work through the options there.
"The fact it is on record that there will be a permanent athletics facility is still exciting and we will be working with the relevant authorities to see what that means."
The Ballarat Sports and Entertainment Centre is also slated for upgrades, however Ballarat Miners chief executive Neville Ivey admitted a lot of those upgrades were more cosmetic than necessary.
"The next job for us today will be to confirm what those upgrades are," Ivey said.
"We had thing like upgrades to lighting, do we need that upgrade to lighting? We're not going to be disingenuous to say we really need that.
"The only other thing is the walkability, which is probably more a council thing anyway, there's no footpath when people park on Norman Street, there's some basic stuff."
Ivey said the overwhelming reaction was disappointment.
"Absolutely, there's missed opportunity from putting us on that global stage, but also the economic stimulus that it would have provided would have been enduring into industry, hospitality and accommodation.
"Those legacy items, if funded, will be terrific, but if we are to get the full extent from the legacy items without the disruption to community sport, from that perspective it's okay, but from what it would have brought to Ballarat, there's a big hole."
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