News & Discussion: Squares and Parklands

[GrowAdelaide]

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%.

I remember going there to one of the last meetings held where a grand total of 14 paying customers went through the turnstiles.

[rev]

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%.

I remember going there to one of the last meetings held where a grand total of 14 paying customers went through the turnstiles.

One of the last meetings held, if not the last meeting, would have been the twilight races sometime in December prior to Christmas.
I can tell you for a fact that a lot more then 14 people attended.

[GrowAdelaide]

It was a mid-week meeting and cold and wet. The point is, it wasn't a popular venue, hence its closure, and hence not much point in reestablishing it without some kind of new strategy.

[SRW]

Draft masterplan for Rymill Park/Murlawirrapurka approved by council this week. Will go through consultation this and next month, although no funding (aside the state's $1 million for the Quentin inclusive playground) has be secured and unlikely to receive first tranche until 2020/21 budget.

Looks good for the long term, but I think Rundle Park (across the road) should be a higher short term priority (it's scarcely better than an unloved suburban park and yet functions as a premier event space for the capital city).

[Mpol03]

I understand it’ll be expensive to redo all of the parklands but all of them should be heading in this direction eventually. So you have a master plan and keep them uniform or have each stage it’s own unique look and feel? I’m not sure but I certainly hope this progresses.

[Patrick_27]

I'm still of the opinion that Rundle Road should be closed and Rymil and Rundle Park(s) merged and a two lane road connecting Grenfell Street with Rundle Street east (either side of the O-Bahn tunnel). I think the argument that taking away Rundle Road and its parking would kill trade for the area can now officially be debunked considering the car-parking along that section is no longer at capacity like it was when the RAH was still over that side of town, besides trade along Rundle Street has already dipped with the road still there... If the APPA were really about the preservation of parkland, you'd think the hypocrites would be in favour of closing a road and creating more park, but weren't they the biggest opposition to the removal of the road?

[SRW]

I'm still of the opinion that Rundle Road should be closed and Rymil and Rundle Park(s) merged and a two lane road connecting Grenfell Street with Rundle Street east (either side of the O-Bahn tunnel). I think the argument that taking away Rundle Road and its parking would kill trade for the area can now officially be debunked considering the car-parking along that section is no longer at capacity like it was when the RAH was still over that side of town, besides trade along Rundle Street has already dipped with the road still there... If the APPA were really about the preservation of parkland, you'd think the hypocrites would be in favour of closing a road and creating more park, but weren't they the biggest opposition to the removal of the road?

APPA opposed the tunnel in total, not just the proposed realignment. The loudest voices against the road aspect were council and traders, which is why not only did it remain but East Tce gained more parks too. The location of the forthcoming playground makes any realignment even more unlikely now. The best we can hope for Rundle Road in next 30 or more years is probably just traffic calming (narrowing and greening, maybe shared zoning).

[Patrick_27]

Adelaide Crows will be releasing to the public their plans for the Adelaide Aquatic Centre site tomorrow night.

https://indaily.com.au/news/local/2019/ ... cN79rMcr2k

[Nort]

Draft masterplan for Rymill Park/Murlawirrapurka approved by council this week. Will go through consultation this and next month, although no funding (aside the state's $1 million for the Quentin inclusive playground) has be secured and unlikely to receive first tranche until 2020/21 budget.

c1260bb1814a3b1e51ee12ca84067fcc.jpeg

Looks good for the long term, but I think Rundle Park (across the road) should be a higher short term priority (it's scarcely better than an unloved suburban park and yet functions as a premier event space for the capital city).

I know this a couple of months old, but the fact Rundle Park is the location for the Garden of Unearthly Delights makes a good case for it not needing the same degree of planning. The fact it's a flexible space means that events can make it their own and repairs need little more than new turf.

[The Scooter Guy]

Next week, the Adelaide Aquatic Centre turns 50! (though the enclosure was built in 1985).
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/messenge ... IU_2sAvB1Y

I used to enjoy this place as a kid. It was like visiting the tropics, only indoors!
I remember seeing some ads of it on some early mornings!

[Joelmark]

I'm still of the opinion that Rundle Road should be closed and Rymil and Rundle Park(s) merged and a two lane road connecting Grenfell Street with Rundle Street east (either side of the O-Bahn tunnel). I think the argument that taking away Rundle Road and its parking would kill trade for the area can now officially be debunked considering the car-parking along that section is no longer at capacity like it was when the RAH was still over that side of town, besides trade along Rundle Street has already dipped with the road still there... If the APPA were really about the preservation of parkland, you'd think the hypocrites would be in favour of closing a road and creating more park, but weren't they the biggest opposition to the removal of the road?

APPA opposed the tunnel in total, not just the proposed realignment. The loudest voices against the road aspect were council and traders, which is why not only did it remain but East Tce gained more parks too. The location of the forthcoming playground makes any realignment even more unlikely now. The best we can hope for Rundle Road in next 30 or more years is probably just traffic calming (narrowing and greening, maybe shared zoning).

Rundle Road also now has I believe a reserved tram corridor, for if and when light rail eventually reaches Norwood again.

[The Scooter Guy]

Sign this petition:
https://www.change.org/p/adelaide-city- ... n-au%3Av11

[Patrick_27]

Sign this petition:
https://www.change.org/p/adelaide-city- ... n-au%3Av11

I'll sign that petition when the guy who created it applies basic grammar and punctuation to the description.

[Bob]

As people from the council areas of Prospect, Walkerville & Charles Sturt seem to be the most vocal about keeping the Aquatic Centre as is, maybe their councils should contribute to the ongoing running costs? Or ACC could charge double the entry price to cover the current losses?

For the politicians that want to keep the Aquatic Centre as is, then arrange for the State Govt to pick up the tab for the $$$ shortfall, in both the new investment required and the ongoing running costs.

For those that say a sporting club shouldn’t manage a part of the parklands with infrastructure, then why has the Adelaide Bowling Club been allowed to do exactly that, and for many decades?

For those that say business should not be allowed on parklands, well what is the Casino, IHG hotel, and the new companies doing at Lot 14, just to site a few of many examples?

There needs to be a balanced view of the AFC draft proposal with all its positives & negatives, not just extreme positions.

[bits]

I'll sign that petition when the guy who created it applies basic grammar and punctuation to the description.

The person that wrote the description is clearly close to illiterate.