Man, 93, ordered to give up home of 60 years for Brisbane Olympics

An elderly man is being forced to move out of his home against his will as a result of the Queensland government's stadium redevelopment plans ahead of the Brisbane Olympics in 2032.

Trevor Connolly, 93, has lived in his beloved home for 60 years and has built a life and family in the property situated in the city's inner east suburb of Coorparoo. The widower and great-grandfather is eager to enjoy his final years in the place he calls home.

"The thought of moving out... I don't like the thought of moving out," he told A Current Affair. "Where can you go after 60 years? You got 60 years of your life here."

The retired electrician has early dementia and living in a space which feels homely and has decades worth of special memories with his late wife Margaret — and his daughters, grandchildren and now great-grandchildren — is important to him.

"I don't want the house knocked down, I just want to stay here from the remaining years ... I don't want to leave my home."

Queensland government's plan to expand the Gabba

Only two kilometres up the road from Mr Connolly's home stands the Gabba stadium which will be rebuilt ahead of the Olympics. This decision will impact 124-year-old East Brisbane State School which will be demolished and relocated to the grounds of Coorparoo Secondary College, which itself will expand taking up neighbouring land including the 93-year-old's home which will be reduced to a school drop-off zone.

The Department of Education issued Mr Connolly a notification of its decision and outlined he would need to move out of the property by Christmas this year.

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Family outraged by government's decision to flatten home

Mr Connolly's family are angered by the plans and questioned why a man who has "paid the taxes all their life" would face this reality, with the family ready to fight back.

"Going into the negotiations [the focus] is that he is to be allowed to stay here for the rest of the days. I think they owe him, a 93-year-old, I think they owe him that much," his daughter Anne Connolly said.

"Since 1962 he's been here and he's lived in the street since he was 11 so his attachment to this house and this street is very, very strong ... No 93-year-old should have to be worrying about those things at his stage in life."

The Department of Education said they don't take the decision to acquire land lightly and intend to negotiate in a compassionate manner, A Current Affair reports. The deadline for Mr Connolly to leave his home has been extended to next year, however, the specific date has not been specified.

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