'Breaks my heart': The lessons from the Rio Olympics that Brisbane needs to learn
As Queensland Premier David Crisafulli reviews plans for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, there are lessons to be learned from the last Games held in the southern hemisphere.
Barra Olympic Park is a concrete jungle of seven stadiums on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. For 16 days in August 2016, these venues were the hottest ticket in the world as hundreds of thousands of people were bused out every day for the most expensive Olympic Games in history.
But eight years later, these sleek, cutting-edge stadiums are either abandoned or barely used. The air is clear, the flower gardens well-tended and security guards stand outside some venues, but there are no events happening inside.
On a quiet Sunday, after a 45-minute Uber ride from Rio’s city centre, I head to the south of the precinct where a skate park, basketball courts and play areas have been set up. Local families gathered for picnics, while others jogged or strolled through the area.
Felipe, 40, who lives a short walk from the stadium precinct, tells me the Olympics didn’t leave much of a legacy for his city. He acknowledges one positive: the creation of dedicated bus-rapid transit (BRT) lanes linking parts of the city with its limited subway network. His feelings on Barra Olympic Park are more mixed.
