A whole host of infrastructure projects have begun or been fast tracked to start, in an effort to shape Brisbane in the lead up to and long after the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Brisbane City Council’s Green Bridges program has been ramped up, while the Brisbane Metro project is on track to deliver a new, efficient transport network well ahead of the Games.

This will occur alongside the transformation of Victoria Park, where Council is turning the 90-year-old golf course into a new inner-city parkland destination which will be home to a temporary equestrian course during the Games.

The Green Bridges program will better connect Brisbane and make travel for pedestrians and cyclists even easier.

Construction is set to begin on the Kangaroo Point Green Bridge by late 2021, complete with above-water restaurant, while construction on the Breakfast Creek Green Bridge is scheduled for early 2022.

Meanwhile, designs for the Toowong to West End and St Lucia to West End green bridges have recently been unveiled.

Cr Schrinner said his Council’s $550 million investment in green bridges would deliver dividends for Brisbane for many years to come.

“Our green bridges will take cars off roads and deliver new connections that will make Brisbane an even better place to live, work and relax,” he said.

“The Kangaroo Point Green Bridge will be more than an active travel bridge; it will become a must-visit destination for residents and visitors to our great city.

“While Brisbane has some fantastic riverside dining opportunities, we do not have restaurants above our river, and the Kangaroo Point Green Bridge will deliver the city’s first.

“It is investments like this that make us a well-connected, global city that is ready to host Brisbane 2032.”

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Meanwhile, the Victoria Park precinct has been transitioned into a public park and planning was underway to design the temporary cross-country equestrian course.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said there was no time to waste in designing the facilities.

“Getting this work done now means we will know where the course will be and what it will involve, meaning we can better sequence the rollout of our exciting vision for Victoria Park,” Cr Schrinner said.

“After 90 years as a golf course, Victoria Park is now available for all Brisbane residents and visitors to enjoy with the bunkers filled in and pathways improved.

“When our transformation is complete, Victoria Park will be one of Brisbane’s most recognisable attractions, a huge inner-city parkland where the traditional waterways have been restored and there’s plenty of green space for people to explore.”

The equestrian course design team was announced with UK cross country course designer Mike Etherington-Smith, highly-regarded Australian course designer Grant Johnston and Australian Olympic equestrian legend Wayne Roycroft at the helm.

Alongside the upgraded public facilities, Brisbane will become more connected than ever with the implementation of the new Brisbane Metro service.

Brisbane Metro will introduce a new fleet of 60 battery electric, high-frequency and high-capacity vehicles that will operate along dedicated busways and integrate with existing bus services as part of a better planned network.

Construction is already underway, where specialised work will occur to dig a 200-metre tunnel beneath the heart of the CBD to accommodate Brisbane Metro and bus services.

The underground tunnel beneath Adelaide Street will connect the South East Busway to the Inner Northern Busway and revitalise the streets between North Quay and Edward Street in the process.

As the city continues to recover from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, the infrastructure projects being undertaken by the Brisbane City Council will provide a boost to the local economy in anticipation of Brisbane hosting the 2032 Games.