Canberra Stadium officials are confident the ageing venue won't be plagued by safety concerns despite two panes of glass falling into the Meninga Stand after a storm.
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As the ACT Brumbies and Canberra Raiders continue to lobby for a new stadium in Civic, it can be revealed the Meninga Stand had to be inspected by a structural engineer in October.
Canberra's wild weather led to two panes of safety glass being dislodged on to the grandstand seats with the section cordoned off while safety inspections were conducted.
The venue will undergo regular checks as part of maintenance ahead of an A-League fixture in February and a bumper year of NRL, Super Rugby, World Cup rugby league and a rugby union Test.
All safety protocols have been cleared and Canberra Stadium remains the premier venue as he ACT government delays plans for a new rectangular stadium with a roof in the city until at least the mid 2020s.
However, news of the government's negotiations with the ANU to build a 50 metre pool as part of the university's $14 million plans could help ease a major headache.
Plans for a new stadium, which could cost more than $300 million, have stalled as the government foots the bill for the Mr Fluffy loose-fill asbestos clean up and light rail project.
But one of the major sticking points has been relocating Civic Pool to free up the land required to build a new stadium on the site adjacent to Parkes Way.
The pool relocation could be dependant on the government striking a deal with the ANU to turn its 25 metre facility into a 50 metre Olympic-standard venue.
The government would need to pay for the cost of extending the pool an extra 25 metres, but that could be seen as a cost-saving measure given they wouldn't have to cover the entire bill.
It's unlikely there would be a need for two 50 metre pools in Civic while the diving facilities could be moved to Mt Stromlo.
"The current civic pool is at the end of its life and needs to be significantly reconstructed or replaced inside the next decade," a government spokesperson said.
"A partnership with ANU could be the way to achieve this, but it is very early days and there is a lot of work still to do to determine if this is the best option.
"The current pool site has been identified for a future new large multi-purpose indoor facility.
"This new facility could include uses such as an indoor football stadium, major event/concert venue and an indoor pool/gymnasium. The timeframe for development of such a venue remains firmly in the mid 2020s."
The government is facing a major facility headache in the coming years and is likely to be compounded by the Australian Sports Commission's move to transform the AIS Arena into a "Volleydome".
Losing the AIS Arena as a basketball, netball, roller derby, concert, exhibition and corporate function venue would be a massive blow to Canberra's chances of securing major indoor events.
The commission board will reconvene at the start of next year to make a final decision, but it's understood using the AIS Arena as a permanent volleyball training centre is the preferred option.
Canberra Stadium is one of the oldest NRL or Super Rugby venues in Australia and is nearing the end of its lifespan after being built in 1977 and refurbished in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
It is believed the government and the NRL is close to finalising a deal to play the last Anzac rugby league Test between Australia and New Zealand in Canberra next year with three World Cup games also on the calendar.
The Wallabies are also set to return to Canberra to play against Argentina in September.
