![The future of Canberra Stadium hinges on whether the government's venue plan, which is yet to be decided. Pictures by Keegan Carroll, Supplied The future of Canberra Stadium hinges on whether the government's venue plan, which is yet to be decided. Pictures by Keegan Carroll, Supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/j2iwCiKfwhVWJky39Vsdpt/f24bd3bd-9be3-4252-8847-b3226858b721.jpg/r0_389_5000_3211_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The stunned silence was always going to end in the most brutal of ways.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Many didn't know what to think when Andrew Barr fired the cannon at the Civic stadium idea late on Tuesday afternoon. By Friday afternoon the silence gave way to blind rage.
"We've got a shitbox at Canberra Stadium now and it will still be a shitbox if we build another one out there," one caller said.
"You can't put lipstick on it. Why build it in the middle of nowhere at a place we know doesn't work. It doesn't matter what you say you'll do, it has to be in Civic.
"There are people out there who want to get this done. Who know how to get it done. But to decide your preference is a secondary location is just bullshit. Have some imagination. Be bold."
Not everyone was angry. Some were happy to see some movement, even if it was more like a Xavier Savage sidestep than a Josh Papalii bulldozer.
Maybe it's time to really come together and make Bruce work, while others will never see the value in funding a stadium.
We've seen in Sydney how emotive the issue can be, with Peter V'Landys going to war with the NSW government despite having an $830 million venue built in his backyard.
But for many, the underlying frustration in Canberra finally came to the surface after 13 years.
"It's a joke," another said. "The feasibility study says Civic. Every other city is building stadiums in the city. It creates vibrancy. We've got a light rail that goes where? A stadium would give it a destination, from both directions.
"But we've got nothing. The whole city has just been strung along, there's nothing meaningful."
It's easy to get caught up in the rage. A dream has been shattered. But could it be pieced back together and how did we get here?
Barr has been in the driver's seat for all of this. Most of the tweaks along the way have been his idea after visiting cities around the world.
The plan is stuck in neutral, but he says not through a lack of trying. When he spoke this week, he acknowledged that Civic was his preferred option, too. But logistically, he says it's too hard and too expensive.
Canberra's major sporting teams - the ACT Brumbies and Canberra Raiders - were happy to work with Barr and the government while they were all on the Civic stadium page.
They were frustrated by delays. But hey, it's government and they understood there were plenty of boxes to tick along the way.
!['Can't put lipstick on it': Stadium outrage after Civic plans ditched 'Can't put lipstick on it': Stadium outrage after Civic plans ditched](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/j2iwCiKfwhVWJky39Vsdpt/c18733d3-9d93-430e-8e5e-3450c5314b24.jpg/r3_0_1198_672_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow was always Civic. A venue the city could be proud of. A way to connect the city to the lake. A destination for light rail. An economic boost for ... just about everyone.
So when they - the teams, the stadium's supporters and prospective private investors - heard Barr say he had to make a "judgement call" on the location, rubbish the possibility of private-sector money and nominate a lack of concerts as a reason to end it all, he pushed them off the edge of the cliff.
The Canberra stadium war has always been a divisive issue and there's no need to pretend everyone in the city supports a $500-700 million investment.
The reality, though, is a significant chunk of money spent a stadium, regardless of its location. Because Canberra Stadium is 50 years old and needs a reboot, anyway.
The supporters have never argued for the stadium to be rushed. They were happy to wait as light rail, hospitals, schools and theatres were rightly moved ahead in the priority list.
The supporters copped the delays and excuses. Mr Fluffy, light rail (twice), and COVID-19.
But they couldn't stay silent any more when Barr made his judgement call despite the government's own feasibility study declaring Civic as the preferred location.
MORE CANBERRA SPORT NEWS:
It will be a "dead space" when there's no NRL or Super Rugby, Barr said. Even though concerts were always considered a bonus to the stadium build, not the deciding factor in its funding.
We'll have to shut the streets around Civic on game day, Barr said. Newsflash: Driving in and out of Bruce isn't exactly a breeze for sport lovers or passers by. And shutting down the streets is exactly what they do in Brisbane, Parramatta, Cardiff, New York, London and every other city that recognises central locations and atmosphere help stadiums deliver economic return.
We'll have to move Parkes Way at a cost of $140 million, Barr said. Well, not really. There is one option Barr has known about for several years that suggests an ANU-like tunnel could be built to allow Parkes Way to remain. It would also achieve the goal of connecting the city to Lake Burley Griffin. The drawings have been done and the initial work is already finished.
We'd have to compromise the design, Barr said. What's a better compromise - a tighter stadium with innovative thinking or building in an undesirable location? Location, location, location!
We don't want private investors, Barr said. Because they offer to build something, but they also seek something in return to recoup their costs. Yes, the Grocon debacle surrounding Manuka Oval still burns, but shouldn't the capital be open to that sort of partnership if it benefits the city?
![A timeline of studies into stadium plans before a feasibility report last year. A timeline of studies into stadium plans before a feasibility report last year.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/j2iwCiKfwhVWJky39Vsdpt/48340d01-4269-4f43-a6ea-963393817175.png/r0_0_1078_671_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
It is true many have become tired of this debate. Barr has been spruiking different designs and opportunities since 2009 and every twist and turn has been covered.
There have been five separate studies commissioned over the years to determine locations, stadium size, and designs. Five. Almost all of those, with the exception of the first one that did not consider Civic, nominated the city as the No. 1 destination.
The apparent lack of meaningful moment and conversations is what really sparked the anger this week.
It's unclear if the ACT government has ever tabled an official plan to the federal government - either when the Liberals were in charge or now Labor - about funding and building a stadium.
The federal government recognises the need to upgrade Parkes Way anyway, allocating $2.5 million as part of the infrastructure priority list to determine what work was needed.
!['Can't put lipstick on it': Stadium outrage after Civic plans ditched 'Can't put lipstick on it': Stadium outrage after Civic plans ditched](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/j2iwCiKfwhVWJky39Vsdpt/af73b828-630a-48e4-94d4-9867ff50ba51.png/r0_3_620_352_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
If, as Barr says, the federal government isn't interested in stadium investment in Canberra, what about realigning Parkes Way? Surely that is a conversation worth having, and would eliminate one of the roadblocks in the way of a Civic stadium.
Senator David Pocock must feel like he's fighting a one-man crusade for Canberra. He finally put the stadium on the radar during the federal election issue, but even he has been perplexed with the sudden departure from the Civic idea.
"Canberra has missed out for too long," Pocock told a tourism forum on Friday.
Asked about the stadium, he said: "Look around the world, everyone is [moving towards] stadium precincts ... No one likes going to Homebush [in Sydney]. It doesn't make sense to me, why don't we set ourselves up for the next 40 years."
His words have resonated, because it does feel feel as though we shifted the Civic stadium into the too-hard basket even though all the research says it's the right spot, and it's possible.
What would be better - compromising a stadium design to fit in a location that will work, or compromising to build it somewhere no one wants it to be? You don't have to listen to hard to find the answer.
We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark canberratimes.com.au
- Download our app
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram