Overview
If you live, work or study right in the heart of Brisbane's CBD, getting active probably involves hitting the gym, heading for a stroll or run by the river, moseying over to South Bank or enjoying the city's free exercise classes. Fancy breaking up your day with a lunchtime game of basketball? Ending the nine-to-five grind with a nostalgic stint of handball? Giving pickleball a try in your spare time? You'll soon be able to — and for free — thanks to a new addition to the Turbot Street Underpass.
That patch of pavement is about to become home to the Brisbane CBD's first-ever sports court — a free facility that'll be open to everyone. The site will be fenced in, in the shade and, thanks to its location, a mere one-minute walk from King George Square — and obviously just a stone's thrown from Roma Street Parkland as well.
While basketball, handball and pickleball instantly spring to mind, the new addition to the corner of Turbot and Roma streets — taking over a space that's been used for parking over the years — will be a multi-court space for a number of ball sports. When you need a rest, or if you're just keen to watch on, there'll be bleacher-style seating. The site is being landscaped, too, and surrounded with outdoor artworks.
And, for quenching your thirst after working up a sweat, there'll be a drinking fountain.
"Through creative planning, we're transforming a pretty ordinary-looking space underneath a road overpass into a fantastic sports court," said Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, announcing the court.
"If successful, this model of using planning outcomes to transform nearby underutilised and unattractive spaces into urban sports courts or other kinds of public spaces could be used at other locations across Brisbane."
Brisbane City Council has approved the court as an extension to Mirvac's Heritage Lanes precinct at 80 Ann Street, which features 35 levels of office space, plus cafes and eateries on the ground level.
John Robert McPherson via Wikimedia Commons
The new sports court at the Turbot Street underpass is due to open by the end of 2023 — we'll update you with an exact date when one is announced.