Editing 2006 Commonwealth Games (section)

== Preparation and development ==
[[File:Mcg melb.JPG|thumb|[[Melbourne Cricket Ground]]]]

=== Venues ===
The following venues were used at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. The sport(s) that were played at that venue are listed after it.<ref name=":0" />

====Melbourne venues====
[[File:Olympic Swimming Pool.JPG|right|thumb|[[Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre]]]]
[[File:MelbourneExhibitionCentre.jpg|thumb|[[Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre]]]]
[[File:The HiSense Arena (6760312239).jpg|thumb|[[Hisense Arena|Multi Purpose Venue (Melbourne Park)]]]]
[[File:Telstradomeaerial.JPG|thumb|[[Docklands Stadium]]]]
* [[Melbourne Docklands|Docklands Precinct]]: Walks and Marathon 
* [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]]: Opening and Closing Ceremonies, and Athletics (Track and Field)
* [[Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre]]: Badminton, Boxing and Weightlifting
* Melbourne Gun Club: Clay Target Shooting
* Melbourne International Shooting Club: Small Bore and Pistol Shooting
* [[Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre]]: Aquatics, Squash and Table tennis
*[[Hisense Arena|Multi Purpose Venue (Melbourne Park)]]: Basketball Finals, Track Cycling and Netball Finals
* [[Rod Laver Arena]] ([[Melbourne Park]]): Gymnastics
* [[Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne|Royal Botanic Gardens]] Circuit: Cycling Road Race events
* State Lawn Bowls Centre: Lawn Bowls
* [[State Netball and Hockey Centre]]: Netball preliminaries and Hockey
* [[St Kilda, Victoria|St Kilda]]: Triathlon and Cycling Time Trial
* [[Docklands Stadium]]: Rugby 7s

====Regional and suburban venues====
; [[Ballarat]]: [[WIN Minerdome|Ballarat Minerdome]]: Basketball
; [[Bendigo]]: [[Schweppes Centre|Bendigo Stadium]]: Basketball<br />Wellsford Rifle Range: Full Bore Shooting
; [[Geelong]]:[[Geelong Arena]]: Basketball
; [[Lysterfield Park]]: State Mountain Bike Course: Mountain Bike Cycling
; [[Traralgon]]: [[Traralgon Sports Stadium]]: Basketball

=== Cost ===
Early concerns arose about the large cost of staging the event, with projected costs likely to be over AUD 1 billion and a high likelihood the Victorian taxpayer would have to cover the expense. The cost was described in some local media as excessive. [[National Party of Australia|National Party]] leader [[Peter Ryan (politician)|Peter Ryan]] said that the Labor government should win "gold (medal) for burning money".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/news/national/commonwealth-games-spending-within-budget/2006/09/14/1157827093063.html|title=Commonwealth Games spending within budget - National - theage.com.au|website=theage.com.au|date=15 September 2006 |language=en|access-date=2018-05-02}}</ref> However, not all of this money was wasted. The actual costs for hosting the games was AUD 1.144 billion and prior to the Games, accountants at [[KPMG]] were estimating that the gross income generated by this event could be as high as AUD 1.5 billion.

=== Athletes' village ===
An athlete's village in the inner suburb of [[Parkville, Victoria|Parkville]] housed approximately 7,000 athletes and support staff during the Games, and has been transformed into commercial housing with a distinctly eco-friendly image. The creation of this village attracted controversy, with critics claiming it was created by alienating public parkland, while proponents maintained that it represented the renewal of an otherwise derelict inner-city area.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2002-10-24 |title=Battlelines drawn as Parkville site chosen |url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/battlelines-drawn-as-parkville-site-chosen-20021024-gdupy8.html |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=The Age |language=en}}</ref>

=== Development ===
The change from [[Daylight Saving Time]] to Standard Time in Australian states that follow it was delayed from 26 March to 2 April for 2006 to avoid affecting the games. In addition, state and private schools amended their usual term times so as to allow the first term holidays to coincide with the Games.<ref>[http://www.det.vic.gov.au/det/schooled/schooldates.htm] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050616111614/http://www.det.vic.gov.au/det/schooled/schooldates.htm|date=16 June 2005}}</ref> 

Melbourne's public transport system – train, tram and bus – ran to altered timetables with some amended or substituted services for the duration of the Games. For the most part, timetabled services were unchanged but suffered due to higher loads.<ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/news/commonwealth-games/the-city/2006/03/28/1143441133896.html Public Transport] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121129125746/http://www.theage.com.au/news/commonwealth-games/the-city/2006/03/28/1143441133896.html |date=29 November 2012 }}</ref>

For the first time ever, the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games appointed a Goodwill Partner, [[Plan (aid organisation)|Plan International Australia]].<ref>[http://www.plan.org.au/contents/aboutus/GoodwillPartner.asp Plan Australia] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070119103845/http://www.plan.org.au/contents/aboutus/GoodwillPartner.asp |date=19 January 2007 }}</ref>

===Opening ceremony===
[[File:Yarra River Fireworks.jpeg|alt=|thumb|Fireworks at the [[Yarra River]] during the opening ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games]]
{{main|2006 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony}}

Both the [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]] and the [[Yarra River]] were centrepieces for the ceremony, which included many fireworks, and other spectacle. The Games were opened by [[Elizabeth II]], in her capacity as [[Head of the Commonwealth]]. The Queen is also [[Head of State]] of a number of Commonwealth countries.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2006-05-27 |title=TheStar.com - Spectacular ceremony opens Commonwealth Games |url=http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1142420587493&call_pageid=968332188492 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060527033355/http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar%2FLayout%2FArticle_Type1&c=Article&cid=1142420587493&call_pageid=968332188492 |archive-date=27 May 2006 |access-date=2020-01-15 |website=[[Toronto Star]]}}</ref>

=== Closing ceremony ===

{{main|2006 Commonwealth Games closing ceremony}}

Both the [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]] and the [[Yarra River]] were again centrepieces for the ceremony. [[Samresh Jung]] of India was given the [[David Dixon Award]] at the closing ceremony. He was the "Best Athlete of the 18th Commonwealth Games". The games were closed by [[:wikinews:Prince closes XVIII Commonwealth Games|The Earl of Wessex]], Prince Edward.