'Get this right': Developers slam 'barrage of criticism' as two new ice rink sites emerge -- Canberra Times

18 November 2025

Reporters Megan Doherty and Melanie Dinjaski report.

The developers behind the delayed Tuggeranong twin-sheet ice rink project have hit back at the "constant barrage of criticism", and urged the ACT government to work with them to deliver the facility as a stalemate lingers.

Stephen Campbell said two alternative ice rink sites in Commonwealth Park and Majura Park have been proposed. A petition released on Tuesday led to more finger-pointing over who was to blame for the delays to a new sporting facility the government hoped would be

completed by 2027.

Now the developers are claiming vital details regarding the sale of land in Greenway are not finalised, which is another stumbling block to progress, in addition to disagreement over the location of the project.

Cruachan Investments managing director Stephen Campbell said they too were frustrated as three years had passed since the ACT government agreed to provide $16.2 million towards planning, design, and construction costs for a state-of-the-art ice rink, while no construction had been able to commence.

But Campbell said the ball was again in the government's court after the developers sent a response to the contract on October 3, highlighting the sale of land and questioning the Tuggeranong location, while also proposing two other options at Majura Park or Commonwealth Park.

"The reality is we've been asking, we've been waiting and had it not been for the Opposition we wouldn't have even gotten the contract in July," he told The Canberra Times.

"We've responded to the contract, and it's now in the hands of government as to how they respond. This isn't just to do with the contract. We still don't know what the price of the land is going to be.

"What they have told us is we need to sign a final contract before they tell us what the land will be sold to us for.

"I can't imagine any developer or even a home builder agreeing to a contract, to then be told post-signing what the land is going to be charged at."

Campbell, who is also the owner of the Canberra Brave ice hockeyteam, understood there \ was concern from the community over the project stalling. But he insisted delays were not the fault of developers, and in seeking to review the new facility's location, they wanted the best possible outcome for the capital.

It's clear there would obviously be a benefit to the developers too, with greater visibility, traffic, and connected services and businesses for a facility located closer to the city.

"We're running out of patience as well," Campbell said.

"We're hoping that with our response to the contract the government will see some sense and they'll look at what is best for ice sports long-term.

"They've made commitments to Tuggeranong, but you can undo those commitments if there is a better option on the table."

"There will be only one ice rink built in the next 30 years, so you want to service the entire population of the ACT, not just the suburbs on the southern side. It's important to get this right," he added.

A new petition launched by ACT Ice Sports Federation's Sandi Logan was endorsed by MLAs Taimus Werner-Gibbings and Caitlin Tough this week. It called for the ACT government and developers Pelligra Group and facilitator Cruachan Investments to build the ice facility in Tuggeranong, rule out any other site for the rink, conduct transparent contract and development decisions, and to "collaboratively remove unnecessary red tape" to avoid further delays.

The petition also demanded the public be provided regular updates on the project.

Logan then delivered a scathing attack toward the developers on ABC Radio on Tuesday, and suggested a "plan B" should be considered to get out of the current agreement and to instead have the project fully funded by the ACT and federal government. He also said the facility "must be in Tuggeranong".

"It's time to bite the bullet, potentially look at the contract and the Ts and Cs and say 'do we really need this going on in such a failed way?'"Logan said.

"I'd be embarrassed if I was the developer or facilitator to put my name to this. They've been coming up with every excuse they could find.

"It's time to look at a plan B - let's move on, let's extract ourselves and look at a more effective and quicker way of getting this done."

Campbell said he was "disappointed" with Logan's comments on behalf of the ACT Ice Sports Federation.

"I can only assume from his commentary [Tuesday] morning that he is playing politics," Campbell said.

"It actually took the Opposition to successfully move a Notice of Motion calling on the ACT government to provide the contract.

"Whilst there has been a heads of agreement, we've had nothing to work on until we got the final draft contract at the end of July.

"This constant barrage of criticism that's been aimed at the developer is simply unfounded. I don't understand why [Logan's] taking such a myopic view.

"Sandi is hell-bent on Tuggeranong being the only site, but if you speak to [future] users of the facility - and I'm confident he has not - nobody wants it at Tuggeranong, they want it more centrally-located for all the obvious reasons."

Campbell said the slope of the Greenway site was an "enormous issue", and Majura Park and Commonwealth Park did not present the same problems.

The Majura Park option on land beside IKEA was shut down by Sport Minister Yvette Berry in June, along with a re-commitment by the government to keep the facility in Tuggeranong.

The other Commonwealth Park option proposed by the developers made "environmental sense" as well as prime location according to Campbell, with the facility put beside a yet-to-be-built new Olympic pool.

"All the heat that is produced as a consequence of making ice can be utilised to heat the pool for free so there are energy savings, in-keeping of the government's Net Zero objectives," Campbell said.

"It's utilised right throughout Europe and there are in fact entire cities that use excess heat from ice production to centrally-heat homes.

"If the true objective is to make high quality, internationally-recognised facilities that have good serviceability, and iconic status for our sports, you put that in the city.

"We're hoping the government can work with us."

The ACT government was contacted for comment.

Logan told The Canberra Times no one in the ice sports community had a preference for a site - it just wanted a facility built. He also rejected claims of "playing politics".

It's been three years since the ACT government inked a deal to deliver a

state-of-the-art ice rink to Tuggeranong. But not even a sod has been turned since then.

Now, even the new Labor MLAs are sick of waiting.

Taimus Werner-Gibbings and Caitlin Tough, both elected as Labor members for Brindabella in last year's ACT election, are starting to make some noise after the proposed ice rink - smack bang in their electorate - is at risk of being moved elsewhere.

ACT's ice sports associations and the MLAs are calling for developers, Pelligra Group and facilitator Cruachan Investments, to start building a twin-sheet ice sports centre in Tuggeranong as soon as possible.

A petition initiated by the ACT Ice Sports Federation, drawing the ACT Legislative Assembly's attention to the issue, is being sponsored by Mr Werner-Gibbings. As well as calling on the government and developers to deliver theproject they promised, the petition also asks that Tuggeranong be reconfirmed "as the location for this landmark project".

"I have been calling on the developers to confirm Greenway as the location for this landmark project since I was elected a year ago," Mr Werner-Gibbings said.

"It has been more than three years since the ACT government signed a Heads of Agreement with the joint proponents, assigned a block of land in Greenway, and committed $16.2 million towards planning, design, and construction costs."

The federation first raised the need for a new ice sports facility with the then-ACT government in 2015.

"Canberra lacks sufficient ice sports infrastructure," spokesman Sandi Logan said.

"The existing facility in Phillip is outdated, unable to meet demand, and nearing the end of its operational life though we are grateful Geocon continues to maintain and improve it for the community to use.

"Tuggeranong, and the ACT, deserves this world-class ice sports venue, which will include two Olympic-sized ice rinks, curling lanes, and a rock-climbing centre.

"Delays to the project - extending well beyond initial expectations -have been deeply disappointing for Canberra's ice sports community and Tuggeranong's residents.

"It's time for Pelligra Group and Cruachan Investments to ease the freeze for ice sports in the ACT, and deliver on their commitment to build a state-of-the-art ice sports venue."

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr in June told the backers of the project to "get on with it".

Stephen Campbell - managing director of Cruachan Investments and chief executive of the Canberra Brave - said at the time the developers were looking at other sites. One of those sites was on land next to IKEA in Majura.

"We will work to complete the project at Tuggeranong, unless it ultimately demonstrates that it is too prohibitively expensive to do so,"Mr Campbell said, in June.

The government has allocated land for the facility in Rowland Rees Crescent in Greenway.

Mr Logan said the ice sports community originally never had any preference for where the facility would go but embraced the Tuggeranong site when it was offered up by the government.

"Before I'd even joined the ACT Ice Sports Federation, which was about year two into this project, the federation had always made it very clear that it would accept any offer of support from the ACT Government, without any condition about siting, or about how big the footprint might be," he said on Tuesday.

"The only requirement was that it had to be at least two sheets of ice because one sheet of ice is not enough to sustain the existing demand, let alone growth. And we all know you've got to build for tomorrow, not for today.

"So nothing has ever been said that it had to be in one place or the other."

Mr Logan said the government eventually came up with the block of land in Greenway.

"And we said, 'Terrific!'. We've never never had any influence or any preference where it would be," he said.

"Whether it was north, south, east, west, come on. To most Canberrans, whether you have to go 20 minutes one way or 30minutes another, it's not a big deal. Compared to most other cities, we have wonderful accessibility."

Mr Logan said the community was sick of the excuses from the developers for not proceeding with the project.

"The guy [Mr Campbell] has more excuses than there are players on an ice hockey team - and that's 20," he said.

"Just get on and do your job. You have one job. You know what? Get it done."

Mr Logan said he understood the land in Tuggeranong was "made available" by the government, but the developers would still have to pay for it.

"That was always the case," he said.

Mr Werner-Gibbings highlighted the long-term benefits the Canberra Arena would bring to Tuggeranong.

"Once built, this important investment will make Tuggeranong a destination for every ice-sports enthusiast in the Capital region and beyond. It will generate significant interest in our community as well bringing considerable economic and social benefits," he added.

Fellow new Brindabella Labor MLA Caitlin Tough reiterated the benefits it would provide the Tuggeranong community.

"Tuggeranong residents have been looking forward to a twin sheet ice sports facility since it was announced and are disappointed progress remains stalled with the private development partners," she said.

"The twin sheet facility in Tuggeranong will bring interest and investment to the area and provide a great space to bring the community together."