Sleeman Centre (Brisbane)
Coordinates: 27°30′47″S 153°08′49″E / 27.513°S 153.147°E
The Sleeman Centre (also known as the Sleeman Sports Complex) is a sporting and entertainment facility located in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Construction of the centre was completed in 1982, with several upgrades and improvements having been carried out since that date. Located in the suburb of Chandler, the centre is 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) east of Brisbane's CBD and is home to an aquatic centre, velodrome, sports arena, gymnastics training hall, gymnasium and auditorium. The centre currently offers a range of services to the public, including indoor and outdoor community activities such as swimming, diving, health and fitness classes, a gymnasium, childcare facilities, and a children's pool and water slide.
History
The Sleeman Sports Centre is one of Queensland's premier sporting facilities, located in Brisbane, Queensland. Purpose-built for the 1982 Commonwealth Games, the centre has also been host to a number of other sporting events including the 1994 World Masters Games and the 2001 Goodwill Games swimming, diving and cycling events. The centre was originally constructed to host the Commonwealth Games, but has been used for a number of purposes since its completion including private functions, public entertainment events (both in sport and the arts), accommodation, retail, venue hire, and a variety of others. Notable upgrades in recent times have included a gymnasium, a children's pool and play area and a large enclosed water slide. In addition to this, each venue has received various make-overs throughout the life of the centre.
Both the suburb of Chandler and the Sleeman centre itself are named after Brisbane Lord Mayors Sir John Beals Chandler and Frank Sleeman.
Facilities
Aquatic Centre
The Brisbane Aquatic Centre (located at Chandler) consists of four main swimming pools, a 50-metre indoor Olympic pool (2m depth), a 50-metre outdoor Olympic pool (4m to 2m in depth) a 25m diving pool (5m depth), and a 25m lap pool (1m depth). The aquatic centre has a seating capacity of 4,300 and has diving facilities, and a moveable bulkhead on the Olympic pool for short course events and a water fun park.
The aquatic centre also contains a children's facility which encompasses the 25m lap pool, a large enclosed water slide and a children's pool. All facilities are open to the public, while the main aquatic centre is the venue for many sporting events and may be hired by schools and other organisations.
Following is a summary of the Aquatic Centre's notable features
- 50-metre, 10 lane Olympic pool
- Diving pool with 10-metre, 7-metre, 5-metre, 3-metre, 1-metre and 0.5-metre diving boards and platforms
- 25-metre pool
- Omega electronics with Ares 21 timing gear system
- Daktronics Pro star Video Display Board
- Grandstand seating for 4350 people plus corporate boxes
- Meeting or seminar rooms
- Gymnasium/aerobics
- Childcare
- Café with indoor and outdoor seating
- Giant water slide
- Learn to swim school
- Chandler swim shop
- Sports Medicine Services
- Queensland Swimming
- Australian Institute of Sport
- Diving Australia
- Queensland Diving
Chandler Arena
The indoor arena, known as the Chandler Arena, is a venue for indoor sports such as Netball, Badminton, Indoor Soccer and Volleyball. The arena has over 1850 square metres of floor space, and a fixed seating capacity of 1700 and an overall capacity of 2,700. Other facilities include a PA and light control system, lounge and bar, VIP viewing rooms and an adjoining 100-seat function room.
Chandler Arena was the home venue for the National Basketball League team the Brisbane Bullets from 1984 to 1986. The Bullets won the 1985 NBL Grand Final at the venue, defeating the Adelaide 36ers 121–95. As of the 2016–17 NBL season, this remains the last single game Grand Final played in the NBL. Midway through 1986, the Bullets moved into the newly opened and much larger (13,500 capacity) Brisbane Entertainment Centre located at Boondall.
The arena was also the home of the Queensland Firebirds netball team in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy national league from 1997 to 2007 before the team moved to the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre in 2008.
Anna Meares Velodrome
The old facility, Chandler Velodrome still stands, however a new 250 m indoor track called the Anna Meares Velodrome was completed in 2016. It hosted the track cycling events at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
The old Chandler Velodrome was an outdoor configuration, having a grandstand seating capacity of 3,000. The venue was suitable for cycling events, rock concerts, rallies, motocross and speedway championships. Apart from an Olympic standard cycling track, the venue also had a private lounge and function area, omega timing equipment and scoreboard, catering facilities, and lighting for night functions and events. The Norm Gailey Grandstand on the western side also contained offices of Cycling Queensland who are the peak body for the sport in the state of Queensland.
Chandler Theatre
The Chandler Theatre is one of the largest in South East Queensland, with a 200 square metre stage, and a seating capacity of 1,500. Each seat has an unobstructed stage view due to the tiered floor plan. Other facilities include large back-stage areas, computerised stage lighting, meeting rooms, state-of-the-art sound system, box office, refreshment bar and a corporate viewing area and boardroom. The venue is used for such events as graduations, conventions, awards ceremonies, product launches, seminars and concerts.
State weightlifting centre
All venues are within walking distance of the car parks which contain a total 2,020 parking spaces (2,000 regular and 20 disabled). The car-parks also contain lighting for night time use.
Brisbane BMX Supercross Track
Sleeman Sports Complex is home to Australia's only Olympic Standard BMX Supercross Track.
Services
- Accommodation (seven 3-star, 4-bedroom units available)
- Poolside Café
- Catering (located onsite for in-house events and functions)
- Retail (Chandler swim-shop)
- Childcare (Puddle Ducks Adjunct Child Care)
- Sports Medicine (physiotherapy, radiology, massage, rehabilitation exercise programs)
- Chandler Markets (every Sunday, 7am-1pm. Over 300 stalls, live jazz bands, barbecue)
- Public Transport Park'n'Ride Facility (to be connected to the proposed Eastern Busway)
Tenants and clubs
Aquatic
- Aquatic Achievers Swim School
- Australian Diving
- Chandler Swim Shop
- Queensland Diving Association
- Queensland Swimming
- Aquatic Education
- Aqualina Synchronised Swimming
- Aussie Masters Swimming
- Brisbane Springboard Diving
- Chandler Swim Club
- Donnet Diving
- Oceanas Synchronised Swimming Club
- Queensland Underwater Hockey
- R.A.P.S. Diving – Redlands Amateur Platform & Springboard Diving Club
- CHANDLER Diving Club
Other Sport
- LS Arena LAN party
- Australian Institute of Sport
- BMX Queensland
- Cycling Queensland Inc
- Gymnastics Queensland
- Peter De Been Jiu Jitsu
- Queensland Badminton
- Queensland Weightlifting
- Tumble Weeds Gymnastics
- Brisbane Southern Districts Junior Soccer Association Inc.
- Bayside Indoor Soccer
- Queensland Firebirds
- Chandler Badminton
- Cougars Weightlifting
- Wynnum Redlands Cycling
- Kangaroo Point Cycling
- Broncos Cycling