News & Discussion: Squares and Parklands

[claybro]

The Adelaide parklands would have to be the most over rated, under utilised patch of dirt of any capital city in Australia. They are neither native bush, or manacured park. Contrary to popular belief, the only thing poeple from other states know about the parklands is when they drive through them, and for 8 months of the year probably wonder why they are so dry and dusty.The only time most South Aussies set foot in the parklands, is when " private enterprise" use the space at fringe time, or events at Adelaide oval. If private enterprise wants to redevelope an ALREADY developed area, then let them. It's one less area for the ACC to maintain to their usual woeful standard.

[SRW]

The Adelaide parklands would have to be the most over rated, under utilised patch of dirt of any capital city in Australia. They are neither native bush, or manacured park. Contrary to popular belief, the only thing poeple from other states know about the parklands is when they drive through them, and for 8 months of the year probably wonder why they are so dry and dusty.The only time most South Aussies set foot in the parklands, is when " private enterprise" use the space at fringe time, or events at Adelaide oval. If private enterprise wants to redevelope an ALREADY developed area, then let them. It's one less area for the ACC to maintain to their usual woeful standard.

The parklands are a state/national heritage-listed and globally unparalleled endowment for our city. That they're not wholly landscaped, maintained or marketed currently to a pristine standard doesn't preclude future opportunities, though I think you take an excessively dim view of their quality. I mean, we only stopped pasturing livestock in them 40 years ago, and serious revegetation only commenced 30 or so years ago -- that takes time to establish. IMO, improving and restoring what is a unique asset should be our aim, not just offloading them to the most convenient bidder. But I'm not idealistic about already alienated areas, so I pragmatically await to see what benefits (if any) the Crows offer (holding in mind that, as private corporations go, they're a special case as a state flag carrier).

[how good is he]

While I understand the parklands debate the long standing money-pit problems of the Aquatic Centre have never been solved by anyone/anything else prior either. I think a business that is losing & costing the ratepayers $800k pa (and growing) is an issue that has been ignored. The other issue is the significant cost (many millions) it needs for major repairs, roof etc. So if this Crows thing doesn’t happen then fair enough but what are the alternative options (if any) for the long-term survival for this centre?

[claybro]

in hindsight it would have been a far better option for the state government to redevelop the Adelaide aquatic centre into the state aquatic centre rather than dumping it out at Oaklands Park. Then we would have a state maintained centre, in public hands, with exclusive public access in a public park. If Marion council desperately wanted a swimming pool in their cultural precinct, they should have built one themselves. The crows could then spend their own money on their own centre for their own use elsewhere. But that didn't happen, this centre is apparently a money pit, and so maybe the Crows option is a good way out. It will depend on the public access.

[d3v310per]

New $12.5 million wetland with butterfly garden planned for city
The southern parklands are getting a $12.5 million upgrade — with a new butterfly garden, picnic areas and viewing decks all part of a plan to stop thousands of properties from flooding.

A wetland with a butterfly garden, picnic areas and viewing decks are all part of a $12.5 million upgrade of Adelaide’s south parklands.

The wetland — at the southern end of Victoria Park — is one of the largest developments in the $140 million Brownhill Keswick Creek Project to safeguard more than 7000 properties from flooding.

The new artist impressions also include picnic areas, a shared path, a stepping stone creek and the realignment of some of the existing creek line.

Project director Peta Mantzarapis said the wetland development would contribute to community safety.

“Crucially, these works will lift the standard of flood protection in the south parklands and are key in mitigating flood risk across the catchment, serving to safeguard properties and community spaces against major flooding events,” Ms Mantzarapis said.

The entire Brownhill Keswick Creek project aims to protect properties in Adelaide, Burnside, Mitcham, Unley and West Torrens council areas against a one-in-100-year flood.

The new wetland would help mitigate flooding along the Park Lands Creek and reduce water flow into the Unley area.

Stephanie Johnston, a member of Adelaide Park Lands Authority and Adelaide Park Lands Preservation Association, welcomed the upgrade.

“The idea of creating the wetlands and clearing up the old woody weeds has been on the agenda for a very long time,” Ms Johnston said.

“I think everyone is looking forward to it.”

Public consultation ends on Friday, July 5, with construction expected to begin next year.

[Nathan]

About time they got a move on the wetland, but it does look as though it's significantly scaled back from what was originally in the Victoria Park masterplan from years and years ago.

[Mpol03]

Let’s hope they include more around the rest of the parklands and maintain them...

[Patrick_27]

There's no reason that this wetland couldn't extend around that entire corner of the parklands.

[rev]

More disjointed plans.

Widen the main part of the Torrens between Bonython Park and the Zoo and then extend it through the east and south parklands.

Go big.

[bits]

More disjointed plans.

Widen the main part of the Torrens between Bonython Park and the Zoo and then extend it through the east and south parklands.

Go big.

Build a moat?

[how good is he]

Just wondering if this would mean the definite end to the ability to ever bring back horse racing (even if a once off event every year)? I know they still do the polo there.

This is an article below from 5 years ago where the Govt (Labour/Leon Bignell) was open to considering it & will we ever see a new permanent pits/grandstand for Clipsal aka Superloop now?
https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2014-12- ... de/5948940

[Nathan]

For reference, this was the original masterplan from 2012 with significantly more water.

[Patrick_27]

Just wondering if this would mean the definite end to the ability to ever bring back horse racing (even if a once off event every year)? I know they still do the polo there.

This is an article below from 5 years ago where the Govt (Labour/Leon Bignell) was open to considering it & will we ever see a new permanent pits/grandstand for Clipsal aka Superloop now?
https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2014-12- ... de/5948940

It shouldn't do, as the diagram below outlines the original proposal which seems to be bigger than what's happening now allowed for a standard size horse-racing track. I wouldn't be surprised if the state government try again in the future to bring horse racing back to Victoria Park. Especially if the V8 race was ever to stop going through there (which seems to be a more likely than not now that The Bend exists). Hopefully by that point the APPA will have lightened up a bit. Makes too much sense not to have horse racing back at Victoria Park instead of Morphetville. Better PT and more parking option, the potential for an ongoing massive injection into the east end economy, and best yet, another organisation paying a sizeable portion of the entire park's upkeep (and if they get it up to a standard similar to Flemington they could be using the central grounds (in the middle of the track) for festival events; Victoria Park in its current state isn't adequate.

[bits]

Victoria Park has had major earth moving works done to it to make sports fields and paths. It is now nothing like a surface horse racing can be done on.

The park prior as a horse track was mostly inaccessible with railing and fences.
The only part of the ground the horse racing would maintain is the track that no one would use other than them.
Look at Morphettville or Gawler if you want examples of a field used for horse racing that would make for a terrible public park.

The track was closed because it did not make economic sense to continue using it.
Maybe in 100 years you can revisit if it would be used for horse racing but any other park would be just as likely. But in 100 years I would imagine you would be many many decades in to a complete ban on horse racing.

Chance of ever being used for horse racing again = 0%.

[SRW]

I think with consultation they were determined to avoid affecting too many significant trees. Beyond that, the wetland forms part of a larger detention basin in Victoria Park for ephemeral water (over)flow from Brownhill-Keswick creeks. I imagine the wetland is about the extent of sustainable holdings (in a mostly dry catchment), although I'd love to see more flow diverted to a larger stretch of the South Parklands to create something like Warriparinga Wetlands at Sturt Creek Linear Park. This seems to be the current masterplan (around same size as 2012 plan but with cost reduced from the envisaged $17.6m to 12.2m):

Associated works (second detention basin) to the Parkland Creek are planned to be carried out in Park 20 up near Peacock Road:

Links to the briefing documents here:
https://yoursay.cityofadelaide.com.au/bhkc-stormwater

And a fantastic video about the overall Brownhill Keswick Creek Stormwater Project here: