Crosby Park MasterPlan
The Vision:
To create a modern sporting facility that supports the needs of our community, continues our connection as a family club, is adaptable, is sympathetic to the environment, promotes participation and inclusiveness, and provides a platform for commercial sustainability into the years to come.
Development Application APPROVED!
Great news everyone!
It is with much delight that I advise you that Brothers Rugby Club has received formal Development Approval (DA) from the Brisbane City Council for its masterplan for the redevelopment of Crosby Park – one of the most exiting initiatives in our Club’s proud 116-year history.
This approval marks the culmination of a lot of time, investment and hard work over the past four years by your committee, several other club members and supporters, and members of the local community.
Whilst we have previously communicated what the masterplan involves – under the auspices of “Brothers: Building a Stronger Community” – I would just like to recap on key details.
Our overarching vision for the masterplan was detailed as part of the Club’s Strategic Plan 2018-2022 and is articulated as follows:
To create a modern sporting facility that supports the needs of our community, continues our connection as a family club, is adaptable, is sympathetic to the environment, promotes participation and inclusiveness, and provides a platform for commercial sustainability into the years to come.
The key stages of the redevelopment include:
- Stage 1 (completed and fully funded)
– resurfacing/upgrade of existing sporting fields (Jack Ross and Vic Walsh Ovals)
– upgrading of field lighting
– new spectator seating and player shelters - Stage 2
– development of swim school building - Stages 3/4
– new clubhouse, green space areas
– universal change rooms and club gym
– new car parking facilities - Stage 5
– development of commercial building
We anticipate that this five-staged project will take approximately two-three years to fully complete and will be dependent on construction progress, fundraising, commercial arrangements and sequencing the Club’s game, sporting and day-to-day operations.
Key immediate milestones include:
- Special General Meeting: (date to be advised ASAP) – to gain member approval for various resolutions pertaining to the redevelopment process (notice to follow)
- July 2021 commencement of construction for Stage 2
Other key points I’d like to raise include:
- A lot of liaison with local community members and the BCC has been undertaken to ensure we have maintained the right balance with our wonderful open spaces and canopy of trees – for which, it is important to note, Brothers has always been a proud custodian since taking on the lease at Crosby Park in 1949
- We have a very strategic fundraising program in place – involving corporate partnerships, tenant contributions, government funding/support, bank debt and member/supporter contributions – and we’ll be rolling out some key fundraising initiatives over coming months. Will keep you posted.
- We are in regular contact with various authorities regarding Brisbane’s bid for the 2032 OIympics and what this could mean for Crosby Park as a potential venue.
I would also like to thank the efforts of some key people involved in this project – the overall Project Development Group chaired by former Club board member, Russell McCart, and his team comprising Brenden Yantsch, Graeme Linklater, Bernie Hogan, Peter Bayo, Matt Kaye and John Shepherd, our various consultants and contractors, our fundraising committee headed by Club Vice President Geoff Rodgers, and our financial contributors to date. I would also like to thank the BCC for their interface, support and approvals and highlight our local Councillor, David McLachlan, as well as our local Federal Member Trevor Evans and State Member Tim Nicholls for their continued and ongoing support.A BIG Brothers thank you!
Key Information
As mentioned above, we are in close liaison with BCC officers to ensure the “final master plan product” meets all statutory, operational, commercial, community and environmental requirements. The BCC will advertise in due course inviting formal community input into this process, but please feel free to provide any feedback or ask any questions at any stage either via:
For more information please contact admin@brothersrugby.com
We value your input
Results from the Community Consultation period which ended on Friday 15th February 2019.
