[COM] Victoria Square Upgrade - $24m

[rhino]

Assume it's too early for the Christmas tree to be going up

Nope, it's already up.

[Matt]

Type: Development Application Received
Application Number: DA/857/2012
Lodgement Date: 29/11/2012
Location: VICTORIA SQUARE, Victoria Square, ADELAIDE SA 5000
Description: Upgrade of Victoria Square.

!!!

[monotonehell]

Type: Development Application Received
Application Number: DA/857/2012
Lodgement Date: 29/11/2012
Location: VICTORIA SQUARE, Victoria Square, ADELAIDE SA 5000
Description: Upgrade of Victoria Square.

Oh my... very vague description lol

[Dvious]

Must mean we are getting the full upgrade, mwahahaha!

[mattblack]

Must mean we are getting the full upgrade, mwahahaha!

Just the northern end for now with the upgrade of Wakefield St. Apparently it will have to close for some time for this to happen and include a new road surface which is not bitumen (marble slabs maybe).

[rhino]

Just out of interest, does Wakefield St go right through the square, or just as far as Queen Victoria? Where does Grote Street start? I know it really doesn't matter.

[[Shuz]]

Ah, but the rule, nothing shall cross the King's Path! As Victoria Square is dissected into two roadways around the square, I presume the east-west throughfare is nameless.

[Nathan]

It's just "Victoria Square" isn't it? Same as the bounding roads.

[Nort]

I'm really curious to know now, that seems like a fun trivia question if it actually doesn't have a name.

[mattblack]

Heres a council release of what the 1st stage of the development will include.

http://www.adelaidecitycouncil.com/comm ... erplan.pdf

[omada]

Look i don't want to be a hater, a troll like poster, I am trying not to be, but are there ANY road closures or even narrowing/lane reductions at all or is this going to remain a cut off island! I really do not see the point of all these works if the square is not integrated to the market precinct etc. How many Jan Gehl reports are required before the ACC start the ball rolling? Honestly one closed off street in the entire city (Leigh Street) does not cut it!! Come on ACC less reports , less talk - more ACTION.

[Ben]

More information

DA/857/2012
29/11/2012
Application Assessed on Merit
Works in Victoria Square including relocation of fountain and flag poles and removal of 3 regulated trees.
VICTORIA SQUARE, Victoria Square, ADELAIDE SA 5000

[Will]

Look i don't want to be a hater, a troll like poster, I am trying not to be, but are there ANY road closures or even narrowing/lane reductions at all or is this going to remain a cut off island! I really do not see the point of all these works if the square is not integrated to the market precinct etc. How many Jan Gehl reports are required before the ACC start the ball rolling? Honestly one closed off street in the entire city (Leigh Street) does not cut it!! Come on ACC less reports , less talk - more ACTION.

Road narrowings will form part of future stages of the Victoria Square redevelopment.

[mattblack]

Look i don't want to be a hater, a troll like poster, I am trying not to be, but are there ANY road closures or even narrowing/lane reductions at all or is this going to remain a cut off island! I really do not see the point of all these works if the square is not integrated to the market precinct etc. How many Jan Gehl reports are required before the ACC start the ball rolling? Honestly one closed off street in the entire city (Leigh Street) does not cut it!! Come on ACC less reports , less talk - more ACTION.

Wakefield St will only be closed off during bigger events. During construction the road will also be closed off to allow some of these works to take place. The realignment of King William St and the tram is under DPTIs control and budget not the ACC.

You will see allot of changes taking place next year as the principals of the new Smart Move Strategy kicks in and momentum gathers.

[Observant Local]

The pop up event In Victoria Square was definitely a success as was the food trucks event in November
However I keep hearing mis-information spread (by ignorant people who don't use Victoria sqaure themselves) that Victoria Sqaure is not well used. The Premier has to know this is a lie since a look out of his office window at any time of the day will dis-prove the claim that Vic Sq is not well used.
When last held, I enjoyed taking part in some really well attended exercise sessions in Vic Sq.

And the proposed development must allow enough space for the types of events that are currently bringing so many people into Vic Sq every day of the year. I would hate to see that the Vic Sq was forced to become (via the 24 million dollar development) so over-developed with vanity structures that appeal to the ego of the developers but sadly may instead turn people away from using the space as it is now.

And on several occasions I have seen film crews who are filming for overseas travel programs. The Fountain is always the place they head for first.

And finally Vic Sq has decent public toilets, which it needed years ago, and they have been well used for ages now. They work well and are kept clean. Pity Glenelg can't learn from these public toilets placed in Vic Sq.
If you were to erect a camera on the top of one of the high buildings overlooking Vic SQ 24/7 those cameras would soundly disprove the premise that no one uses Vic Sq.
Not to mention the after hours use of Vic Sq.
You may not be invited - but the Hilton hotel is continuously used by groups for catering when those groups hold events in the Square.
The recent children's event when a huge temporary wading pool with a cover over it appeared as a pop-up pool was in constant use.
A recent ethnic festival was similarly well attended.
And a wedding by the fountain attracted an interested crowd in addition to the wedding guests.
Students from Eynesbury would use it even more were it not for the two old codgers (male and female) who insist on feeding the pigeons leading to the north west lawn space being unusable for anyone to sit, walk or play. Note to Adelaide City Council please BAN feeding the pigeons.
And on Friday night this week the Hilton Hotel taxi rank was well used. The queue was so long that it was 2 hours before a taxi arrived for my 3 friends and I and there were still 100 people waiting behind us - the queue snaking around into Gouger street. Hang your Head in Shame Taxi Industry.
We has all tried phoning a taxi earlier from the other side of Victoria Square only to be fed lies by the Taxi companies. "your taxi is on it's way" and then "we are still trying to get you a taxi) We even tried the public phone in Grote Street but it was full of coins and could accept no more calls.
We joked that calling an ambulance would be quicker.

But unless you observe and view the obvious steady daily 24/7 use of Victoria Square don't bother posting lies that the space is not well used right now. It is the BEST used Square in Adelaide.