History

The Sleeman Centre was purpose built for the 1982 Commonwealth Games. Since then the centre has hosted a range of sporting events including the 1994 World Masters Games and the 2001 Goodwill Games swimming, diving and cycling events.

The Sleeman Centre and the Chandler Aquatic Centre were named after the past Lord Mayors, Sir John Chandler and Frank Sleeman.

Sir John Beals Chandler

The suburb of Chandler and the Chandler Aquatic Centre were named after Brisbane Lord Mayor, the Right Honourable Sir John Chandler, who held office from 1940 to 1952. Chandler was a leading Brisbane businessman before he became involved in local government and state politics.

John Beals Chandler was born on 21 February 1887 at Bunwell, England. The youngest of a large and poor family he left school after completing eighth grade. At 20, he decided to emigrate, but was unable to go to his first choice of Canada due to his inability to raise the fare of £7. Immigration passages to Queensland were free, but he had to fulfil the condition of free passage by working as a general labourer for two years in the cane fields of Mossman in North Queensland. After an accident, he came to Brisbane for a holiday and decided to stay. He married a nurse, Lydia Isobel Parish on 24 February 1912. In 1913, Chandler established a hardware store in Elizabeth Street.

Chandler branched out into the sale of lighting equipment, electrical contracting, electrical appliances and radios, and in 1930 established 4BC, Brisbane’s first commercial radio station. He set up a radio network in the southeast Queensland, but was forced to sell all of his stations except 4BH in 1936 because of the Commonwealth Government’s restrictions on the ownership of radio broadcasting stations. During the Second World War Chandler’s companies joined AWA Australia Ltd in the installation and servicing of radio, radar and echo sounding equipment on Australian and allied shipping. In 1959, Chandler’s companies entered the television industry.

Appreciative of the opportunities for business success that Brisbane had afforded him, Chandler regarded his local government service to the city as a public expression of his gratitude – a way of repaying the community for its support of his business initiatives.

Chandler was twice president of the Chamber of Commerce (1938 – 40) and served as treasurer of the RACQ (1939-40) and president of the Queensland Patriotic and Australian Comforts Fund during the Second World War. He was the founder of the Commercial Broadcasters Federation and a foundation member of the Electrical and Radio Federation of Queensland.

John Chandler was knighted on 1 January 1952 for his services to business and local government.

John Chandler died on 19 January 1962; his wife and two sons survived him. Chandler had two sons who were killed in action during the Second World War.

(Source: Brisbane, Corridors of Powers, Brisbane History Group Papers No. 15 – 1997)

Frank Sleeman

The Sleeman Centre was named after Brisbane Lord Mayor Frank Sleeman, who held office from 1976 – 1982. Sleeman is acknowledged as an outstanding soldier, a successful sportsman and businessman, and is best remembered as the Lord Mayor who helped set up Brisbane for the Commonwealth Games.

Frank Northey Sleeman was born in Sydney in 4 March 1915. Raised in the tough neighbourhood of Abercrombie Street, Redfern, he attended Canterbury Boys’ High School.

At the age of 18, Sleeman joined the Citizens Military Forces and was a lieutenant in 1939 when World War ll broke out. The following year he joined the 2/26 Battalion AIF and volunteered for a secret mission that resulted in the formation of Australia’s first commando unit. The unit was scheduled for England but was diverted to the Coral Sea where the Japanese captured Sleeman. Refusing to work for them, he was a prisoner of war for 3 years and 8 months.

After the war Sleeman returned to Townsville and worked as a salesman for the Australian General Electric Company. He married Norma Robinson on 29 December 1945.

Sleeman’s greatest sporting success was in amateur boxing, where he was undefeated in his division (flyweight). His love of fishing earned him the nickname “Sandbank Frank”; given to him by a fellow Labor Alderman who claimed he consistently steered his boat into sandbanks.

Frank Sleeman became Lord Mayor on 7 April 1976 and was in local government for 21 years. As Lord Mayor, Frank decided to commit Brisbane to host the 1982 Commonwealth Games. Although he faced opposition from State Government politicians and some members of the community, Sleeman stuck by his decision.

A few weeks later, Sleeman ordered that the cycling and swimming complexes for the Games be sited at a common venue. This was the birth of the Chandler Complex. The Sleeman administration was the driving force behind the complex as a Commonwealth Games facility.

Frank Sleeman passed away in August 2000.