Published February 2025
The proposal to build stadiums in Victoria Park / Barrambin, creating a heat island effect, noise, pollution and reducing green space will negatively impact on the health and quality of life in our community.
It is contrary to BCC policy – “protect and create green space”. Smart cities such as Copenhagen and London are expanding their green space. Victoria Park, without stadiums, offers Brisbane the opportunity to maintain green space, with biodiversity.
Urban green spaces are the parks, street trees, and gardens that are important for our health and well-being. In its goal: Sustainable cities and communities, the UN stresses the importance of “creating of green public spaces”.
Brisbane Council has a policy to “protect and create greenspace” – increasing natural habitat, more shade trees along streets, and encouraging new developments to include green space.
Green space in cities encourages physical activity, which promotes physical and mental health. Due to climate change, Brisbane is getting hotter, with three times as many days over 35°C expected by 2050. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are significant and increasing causes for ED presentations and hospitalisations in Queensland.
There is an urgency to have more shade in our streets and urban areas, to allow outdoor activity without heat stress. Feel the difference under the fig trees in James Street and Vernon Terrace on a hot day.
Exposed bitumen and cement in our city create the urban heat island (UHI) effect, trapping heat and so maintaining increased temperatures into the night. The Powerhouse car park, with less tree cover than required in the BCC guideline, is a local example of this. Shade trees in streets and car parks mitigate the increased heat of climate change.
Green space supports Brisbane’s biodiversity, creating habitat for native plants and wildlife. It will reduce air and noise pollution. Maintenance of green spaces should no longer use equipment that loudly pollutes the air with toxic fumes and particles. For many, being outdoors and connecting with nature provides substantial benefits to their well-being.
For children, time in nature is important by building their physical, emotional, intellectual and social development. Independent outdoor play builds children’s resilience. Heat trapping and lack of outdoor green space keeps children inside, often on social media/gaming.
With increasing residential density, we need more green space. Preserving Victoria Park and increasing green space in Brisbane will ensure the value of nature to our city – with environmental, social, economic and health benefits.
