[COM] Rundle Mall Redevelopment | $30m

[monotonehell]

Jeeeeeebus, get over it you lot. The upgrade looks fantastic and I can't wait for the whole thing to be finished. So what it looks a bit odd in the meantime? That's progress for you. Its only regressive if it stays that way in the long term, but seeing as this is a short term fix, we ought to put up with it. There's far bigger things to worry about.

+700

WTF guys? Seriously a construction zone that looks like a construction zone? Get over yourselves. I've had to walk around construction zones in the centres of Manhattan and London that looked worse than what Rundle Mall does. They are doing a great job of keeping the shops accessible while redeveloping the Mall.

[cruel_world00]

Can someone alert Howie to the bizarre phenomenon that appears to have occurred where AdelaideNow comments are appearing on Sensational Adelaide. Will this be fixed soon?

[pushbutton]

Agreed Nathan. Perhaps it's time to take Singapore's approach to gum...

Completely agree. I think Singapore's approach to gum would be long overdue in Adelaide.

I don't chew gum, so I must be ignorant of the difficulties gum chewers face in disposing of their chewed gum.

To my naive mind, it seems like it would be simple to just put it in the nearest bin. Going by the huge number of bits of gum that people have had no choice but to just drop on the ground, it very obviously isn't anywhere near as simple as dumb people like me would think.

[pushbutton]

Well I couldn't care less if it looks a bit messy during construction. Most construction sites do. My only concern for the Rundle Mall upgrade is how good it will look on completion.

As yet I am undecided on that, but I do have my reservations based on the artist impressions I have seen.

I hope to be pleasantly surprised!

[rhino]

I don't chew gum, so I must be ignorant of the difficulties gum chewers face in disposing of their chewed gum.

It's similar to the disabilities smokers face regarding disposal of their cigarette butts. The gum is "invisible" to them, in much the same way as butts are "invisible" to smokers. Ever asked a smoker why they didn't use the bin? The answer is invariably "It's just a cigarette butt!"

[SAR526]

Having lived in Melbourne for nearly 30 years from the age of 24 and come back home to Adelaide to live for almost as long again, I am acutely aware of the dismissive views of many interstate people who display their ignorance by belittling this city.

Nevertheless, I think that we need to remember and publicise some facts. Adelaide was Australia's third city up until well into the 20th century when the other two were relatively small and underdeveloped. Adelaide was fully sewered with a reliable water supply before any other Australian city, while central Brisbane was still un-sewered in the central city until the mid 50s. This was a head office town in its own right – Elders, Adelaide Steamship etc. and per head of population the most industrialized city in the country while still remaining physically the most beautiful, which it still is. Our collection of early to late Victorian buildings set in parklands, the unique cultural boulevard of North Terrace, the Torrens and city squares make it stand out in any company world-wide. Adelaide has been recognized by both the 'Guardian' and 'New York Times' newspapers and other overseas commenters as being among the top ten cities in the world in which to live, and as a 'hidden gem' or 'well kept secret' to visit. These are recent comments and refer to the city in which I am very glad to live, despite having a pretty good personal knowledge of most of Europe and a a goodly sample of the United States as well.

Perth and Brisbane, though they have made very considerable progress in recent years due to their access to developed resources, cannot begin to match Adelaide's cultural heritage. Our Museum and Art Gallery collections are of world standard. We once had the oldest tramway system in Australia, and after electrification, a good deal larger than either of the other two. Our compact suburban heritage of mainly stone and brick houses is much more like those of the many European cities that I have visited, and the suburban shopping strips – particularly the Norwood Parade - stand comparison with similar ones anywhere.

In social progress, like being the first state in the world to grant women the vote and the right to stand for parliament, we are preeminent. I can still remember the expressed awe of my Melbourne friends at the social progress made during the Dunstan era.

Yes, we can all think of things which need improvement in our city, but we need to count our blessings. I'd like very much to be young and rich enough to live in Provence for a few summer months each year, but I know that I am very happy to spend the rest of my days right here.

Oh yes. A POX of a very virulent kind on the social misfits who drop their chewing gum and cigarette butts wherever they please. Why do these two groups seemingly have such antisocial tendencies in contrast to the rest of us who use the bins?

[DaveAdl]

Just to perhaps to close out and if anyone was losing sleep a tweet from the council “@CityofAdelaide: Don’t stress about the grime on #RundleMall’s new pavers – they’ll be getting a clean. Or should we just wait for rain? #AustralianSummer”

[claybro]

can someoneone update me please on the most recent court decision on the "street preachers" using Rundle Mall to vent thier religious opinions? I went into the mall last night for late shopping and to check out what all the fuss about the new pavers is about. lo and behold, there were the street preachers, complete with large plackards and a very vocal loudmouth (the usual one ). I thought these guys had been ordered not to preach in the mall? There were police patrolling, but no action.I acknowledge the right to free speach. but it should not impinge on others enjoyment or be at such volume that we are forced to listen. Overall, it is not a good look, and the suburban shopping centres (which the mall is competing with) would never tollerate such a group.

[Phantom]

can someoneone update me please on the most recent court decision on the "street preachers" using Rundle Mall to vent thier religious opinions? I went into the mall last night for late shopping and to check out what all the fuss about the new pavers is about. lo and behold, there were the street preachers, complete with large plackards and a very vocal loudmouth (the usual one ). I thought these guys had been ordered not to preach in the mall? There were police patrolling, but no action.I acknowledge the right to free speach. but it should not impinge on others enjoyment or be at such volume that we are forced to listen. Overall, it is not a good look, and the suburban shopping centres (which the mall is competing with) would never tollerate such a group.

I think the trade-off for this is that we now have the ability to beat the crap out of them, using only their own picket signs and nothing more. It seems pretty fair.

[Vee]

Rundle Mall redesign taking shape.

Street furniture:
Pic of first Rundle Mall bench revealed via @NatBrunoli
http://twitter.com/NatBrunoli/status/39 ... 64/photo/1

[monotonehell]

I'm not confident about the look of the pavers. They've been steam cleaning and scrubbing the revealed section for two days now, and they still look drab and filthy.

[Paulns]

Progress from this morning.

[rev]

Looking at those pictures, how good would a tram be down the middle coming off King William St, up Rundle St(and onto Norwood)..

[[Shuz]]

Rev, I know we've had many disagreements, and this is yet another one. But I do need to genuinely ask - are you serious?

Bourke Street Mall is a prime example of exactly why a tram-line should never ever run down a pedestrian mall. The number of times I have seen people so blatantly step out into the path of an oncoming tram, without care, despite all the bells and whistles and signs and visual cues... And this is in a city renowned for its extensive and well publicized tram network. If it can't work there, I have much doubt it will work here.

Unfortunately in Australia, there is still a disconnect between pedestrians, trams, and vehicular traffic. People still perceive them as being three separate entities, and treat them as such, rather than as an integrated whole. Even with the separated tram lines through the city, and with visual treatments applied - raised tracks, signs, the overhead poles, bright coloured trams, still, somehow, everyday, I see cars driving in tram lanes, people walking across the tracks carte blanche, buses, trucks turning out wide right into their path, etc. We have had the extension in place for 8 years now, and people still just don't seem to get it.

It might work in Europe, because of the social culture there and they have over there whereby people actually understand how to use space, and navigate with the trams, rather than against them.

I do agree with you about having the trams to Norwood though - perhaps just better off 1 block south, along Grenfell Street? (Although there's another discussion in itself about the conflict with bus lanes, but I've already steered off-topic enough as is).

Back to Rundle Mall Redevelopment. I love it! Very please with how it's all looking and turning out.

[Thunderstruck]

Not liking this atm, especially that strip drain that wanders in a snake like pattern. Just doesn't look right.

Hopefully it looks better with all trees and what not back in.