Commonwealth Games village shapes up

22oct04

THIS is how athletes will live during the Commonwealth Games in March 2006.

And it is how you could live in the community being created in Parkville on part of the grounds of an old psychiatric hospital.

Commonwealth Games Minister Justin Madden yesterday opened the first six completed homes in the Athletes' Village.

Only a handful of protesters against commercial development of the site were on hand as Mr Madden showed it to athletes Ellen Steele, Sharelle McMahon, Don Elgin and Craig Mottram.

Just 234 houses and apartments are contracted to be built by Games time. About 1200 of 6000 athletes and officials will be housed in temporary buildings.

The village later will include 155 detached houses, 25 townhouses, 105 apartments and 115 temporary accommodation buildings.

House prices will start at $700,000, but public housing tenants will also call the estate home with 100 units set aside.