[COM] Victoria Square Upgrade - $24m

[rhino]

Are they actually going to rip out trees, or just plant 87 new ones? Lemon scented gums are beautiful trees, hardly straggly. They will give the square a very Australian feel indeed, not to mention the smell when the first rains come after a dry spell! They have been known to drop the occasional limb, however! Still, I suppose any tree can be guilty of that.

[UrbanSG]

Reb-L you have seen the state of the existing 'exotic' trees in Victoria Square?

A lot of these trees are close to dead and hardly worth saving. They are a victim of Adelaide's extreme weather (months of hot dry weather aren't appropriate for many 'exotic' trees) and I bet the soil contamination that has been found in this area hasn't helped them either. The plane trees seem to do ok but even some of them suffer in Adelaide's conditions.

Rip it all out and start again is the best option imo.

The lemon sented gums will be a great addition. Nothing suits Adelaide's climate more. I do like some 'exotic' trees too but they generally work best in people's gardens and the Botanic Gardens where thay can actually be looked after and maintained and don't have too much paving to prevent water reaching their roots.

At least this project is finally starting even in its half-arsed form. This area has been embarrassing for years, about time it was improved.

[Reb-L]

Reb-L you have seen the state of the existing 'exotic' trees in Victoria Square?

A lot of these trees are close to dead and hardly worth saving. They are a victim of Adelaide's extreme weather (months of hot dry weather aren't appropriate for many 'exotic' trees) and I bet the soil contamination that has been found in this area hasn't helped them either. The plane trees seem to do ok but even some of them suffer in Adelaide's conditions.

Yes, I have seen them and also what happened to 'exotics' in Hindmarsh and Hurtle Square when they were deliberately neglected (and don't get me started on what's been going on in the parklands). Most of these trees (e.g. The Moreton Bay figs) were planted decades ago and survived several heatwaves until they became 'unfashionable' and therefore punished with water deprivation. Even native vegetation can look pretty bad when it doesn't get anything to drink. That said, I like lemon scented gums too. What I'm against is 'ideologically correct' selection to change existing plants by stealth. I.M.O. It should not matter where a plant originates from. There are quite a few trees that can handle our climatic conditions if cared for (Adelaide is not the only city in the world with a hot and dry climate). But if the only criterion is that a plant is native we might as well let everything return to bush - that would certainly save a lot of money and we wouldn't have to deal with so many visitors either.

[believesinadsy]

Its good to read so many positive comments on AdelaideNow about this project. I know that doesnt happen often. Although it isnt the biggest project happening atm, but its one of the largest in terms of creating a crucial fokal point of the city centre. Its not only going to begin to rebrand Adelaide in a more positive light, I predict locals alike will start to appreciate the space that is made available to them in the city centre too. Looking forward to coming back home for the first ShowDown ast the AO and seeing all these vast improvements. Honestly, Adelaide it becoming a truly great small city bit by bit.

[claybro]

Yes, I have seen them and also what happened to 'exotics' in Hindmarsh and Hurtle Square when they were deliberately neglected (and don't get me started on what's been going on in the parklands). Most of these trees (e.g. The Moreton Bay figs) were planted decades ago and survived several heatwaves until they became 'unfashionable' and therefore punished with water deprivation. Even native vegetation can look pretty bad when it doesn't get anything to drink. That said, I like lemon scented gums too. What I'm against is 'ideologically correct' selection to change existing plants by stealth. I.M.O. It should not matter where a plant originates from. There are quite a few trees that can handle our climatic conditions if cared for (Adelaide is not the only city in the world with a hot and dry climate). But if the only criterion is that a plant is native we might as well let everything return to bush - that would certainly save a lot of money and we wouldn't have to deal with so many visitors either.

Could not agree more. Is this a joke?We have gone politically correctness mad. Native grass, native trees...none of these are suited to urban envirnments. Lemon Scented gums are not native to SA and are VERY large trees with open canopys. They shed gum nuts in spring (slipping hazzard), bark in summer (a bloody mess) and in hot weather are prone to dropping huge limbs. They will also stifle any lawn growing underneath with the sap that falls in rain. I had to battle my local council years ago to have one removed that had destroyed my neighbours carport, a fence and my back porch from falling limbs. A more unsuitable tree they could not have found for a crowded urban plaza.

[Kasey771]

Its good to read so many positive comments on AdelaideNow about this project. I know that doesnt happen often. Although it isnt the biggest project happening atm, but its one of the largest in terms of creating a crucial fokal point of the city centre. Its not only going to begin to rebrand Adelaide in a more positive light, I predict locals alike will start to appreciate the space that is made available to them in the city centre too. Looking forward to coming back home for the first ShowDown ast the AO and seeing all these vast improvements. Honestly, Adelaide it becoming a truly great small city bit by bit.

The pictures on adelaidenow are laughably out of date and confusing, which actual plan are they building?

[pushbutton]

Well as much as I'm finding it very hard to get excited about a bit of landscaping, I am pleased that after at least 25 years of time-wasting they're finally doing something with Victoria Square. When I think of all the millions of dollars that must have been wasted on all the work that's been done on it in that time, I can't help but think that something quite good could have been built with the money instead.

Still though. Better late than never!

[mattblack]

Well as much as I'm finding it very hard to get excited about a bit of landscaping, I am pleased that after at least 25 years of time-wasting they're finally doing something with Victoria Square. When I think of all the millions of dollars that must have been wasted on all the work that's been done on it in that time, I can't help but think that something quite good could have been built with the money instead.

Still though. Better late than never!

Nice to see you so positive for a change

[Mants]

this is unrelated to any upgrade of the square itself, but considering the Central Markets are Adelaide's largest tourist attraction, it surpasses me the its Victoria Square entrance is so understated and missable. not to mention that the arcade connecting the plaza to the square is in desperate need of an upgrade.

[[Shuz]]

this is unrelated to any upgrade of the square itself, but considering the Central Markets are Adelaide's largest tourist attraction, it surpasses me the its Victoria Square entrance is so understated and missable. not to mention that the arcade connecting the plaza to the square is in desperate need of an upgrade.

Hear, hear.

[mattblack]

this is unrelated to any upgrade of the square itself, but considering the Central Markets are Adelaide's largest tourist attraction, it surpasses me the its Victoria Square entrance is so understated and missable. not to mention that the arcade connecting the plaza to the square is in desperate need of an upgrade.

Hear, hear.

Upgrade of that entrance is included in later stages of the square upgrade after the road realignment has taken place which is in DPTI's hands.

[SAR526]

The comment below was wrongly posted to another discussion thread a day or so ago. I remain alarmed at the choice of the Lemon Scented Gums, and strongly suspect that the Tree Nazis are still deeply engaged in ridding our city of anything that is not 'Australian'. Well I am an 84 year old third generation Australian and three of my grandparents were born here in 1858, the other coming here from Wales in 1880. One of my relatives planted the avenue of oaks in Stirling known as Druids Avenue, and I grew up alongside another Druids Avenue in Mount Barker. Those trees are my heritage, and Johnny-Come-Latelys to our fair state would do well to remember that native born though my generation may be, we are also Europeans and love both the gum trees and the green and shady trees of our double heritage. Now to my original posting:

Generally I am pleased with the re-design of Victoria Square, but, like almost all of the commentators published on the 'Adelaide Now' website who also approved of the general design, I am opposed to the choice of Lemon Scented Gums as the only trees which will be planted there, mainly because of the danger of limbs falling without warning and adding to the fatalities which they have already caused in Adelaide..

I regret having planted a Lemon Scented Gum in my front garden. It never stops making a mess, and it inhibits grass growth. Its patchy shade in Summer while it blocks much of the sunlight in Winter is contrasted for me when I walk under a neighbour's bright green Cottonwood tree with its dense summer shade and shapely bare branches in Winter. Autumn leaves fall over a short period only, and they make excellent compost. Why do the great majority of us admire the tree-scapes that our forebears planted in Stirling? Adelaide's charm as a city is largely due to its very European character, and the trees which were brought here by the ancestors of the vast majority of us are as much part of our heritage as the native vegetation which we also love, and which I plant in my garden. We have many millions of gum trees. Why plant them where they are totally unsuitable?

[SAR526]

Yes, I have seen them and also what happened to 'exotics' in Hindmarsh and Hurtle Square when they were deliberately neglected (and don't get me started on what's been going on in the parklands). Most of these trees (e.g. The Moreton Bay figs) were planted decades ago and survived several heatwaves until they became 'unfashionable' and therefore punished with water deprivation.

I am happy to contribute my mite to the watering of the trees in Victoria Square and other city parks. When I flush my toilet, the contribution goes to the Glenelg sewage treatment plant, which sends its semi purified output of water to the city. It is to be hoped that all of the trees in Victoria Square will be given constant underground drip feeds so that they will escape the fate of far too many others like those in Greenhill Road that were quite deliberately condemned to death by thirst. The tell-tale signs of deliberate neglect are the bare branches above the otherwise green and shady canopies of some of the trees which give a grateful shade to the present square.

[Wayno]

SAR526, I'm on your side re the choice of trees. Lemon scented gums are not suited for the many reasons previously stated. I can't understand why such a choice was made. Fast forward 15 years to when the trees planted this year are starting to drop branches. Go figure.

[neoballmon]

Looking past why the gums were a bad idea, is it just me that thinks 87 of them is just too much for an area the squares size? It will look appealing at first, but once they mature to a much larger size, they'd all grow into each other and let no natural light into the square.