News & Discussion: Squares and Parklands

[NTRabbit]

My understanding of the master plan was that they were going to drop 9 holes from the north course, and reconfigure to 3 x 9 holes which could be matched up in different ways (with the Par 3 untouched).

I'm pretty sure they have to keep the public par 3 course there as the council price for the other courses being private, which is why it's not going anywhere.

[claybro]

at least I suppose the golf courses are irrigated and maintained. Left to the ACC alone this corner of the parklands would be a dead weed infested mess. Still not sure why we need 3 seperate courses though, or why other private courses seem to pay their way, but not this one.? at least amalgamate 3 into 2, and if private membership and additional facilities are required to make it viable, then rebuild the facility that already exists on the Torrens into a larger multi purpose facility, privately run, with memberships and corporate facilities etc, but maintain public access.

[Bob]

I think the North Course should be closed and the focus should be on ensuring the South Course is maintained with extra focus on being a premium course into the future.

If parts of the SE corner of the South Course are required (yet to be determined), for an expanded sports precinct, then ensure there is an allowance to take a section of the existing North Course as compensation.

A well maintained single green tree lined course, is better than the two current courses, the North being ordinary to say the least.

Besides some people are not paying to use the North Course, they park on Mills Tce and join the course part way through. Others that do pay get annoyed when the first hole is often taken away by the pros to provide golf lessons.

Doing the above and returning the remainder of the North Course to parklands, would be a good outcome with reduced costs plus potentially increase revenue if more tournaments could be attracted to the premium course and clubhouse.

The Par 3 should remain as is, well maintained and well patronised.

[SRW]

I don't really care about golf, but if the courses are going to take up such a significant proportion of parklands, they may as well be worthy of their location and maintained to a standard that can host national tournaments again.

[ml69]

I wonder if either political party took to the 2022 election a bold agenda of the greatest transformation of the Adelaide parklands since they were first established, would it be a vote winner?

I don’t mean development over the parklands.

I mean taking a handful of our most important city (but under-utilised) parks and totally redeveloping them into amazing, world-class urban parks over the next 10-15 years, leading up to SA 200 years in 2036. The parklands are arguably Adelaide’s greatest natural asset. So let’s maximise their potential for residents and visitors alike!

I’m thinking:

- Riverbank: Between the weir and Frome St bridge, new quality urban landscaping which makes it a pleasure to walk along. Not bitumen! Provide seating, shade and beautiful landscaping. Turn the totally under-utilised Pinky Flat into a stunning floral garden that people would seek out to visit for its beauty. Create a wide boardwalk for walking/jogging/rollerblading and cycling on BOTH sides of the river. Have restaurants facing the river between Morphett St bridge and the Adelaide Oval footbridge.

- West parklands: Bonython Park ... wetlands park with boardwalks, water features, planting hundreds of new trees for better shade, beautiful landscaping etc

- North parklands: The parkland around the current Aquatic Centre/future Crows HQ ... this community facility could be improved with the addition of a huge adventure playground, introduction of grassy mounds to relieve the flat terrain, planting hundreds of new trees for better shade, beautiful landscaping etc and improved connection to the top end of O’Connell St.

- East parklands: Victoria Park ... this has the greatest potential of all the parks. Create a huge lake and island in the centre. Then add a large adventure playground, BMX track, grassy slopes to relieve the flat terrain, planting hundreds/thousands of new trees for better shade, beautiful landscaping etc and improved connection between the SE corner of the CBD and Rose Park. Think of something like the Roma St Parklands in Brisbane.

This would need to be an investment of perhaps $1B or more over the timeframe.

Bring the parklands under state government control and funding. State govt takes all planning powers from Adelaide City Council. In return, ACC has $7-8M per year extra to spend on other things.

Rezone surrounding roads to permit mid-rise apartments to take advantage of the beautiful views over these parks.

Hopefully Adelaide would become synonymous with beautiful parklands. Perhaps we even gain a world heritage listing for our parklands by then. And further enhance our reputation as one of the worlds most liveable cities.

Surely there must be votes in such a vision?

[Nathan]

I would absolutely back all of that, plus a far more ambitious parklands trail. Instead of a 1-1.5m wide path, make it a proper 3m+ route all the way around the parklands, landscaped all along, and completely grade separated from road crossings linking all the parks. Combined with the paths along the river, it would mean a complete figure 8 route around the city. Hold an annual parklands half-marathon.

[madelaide]

I mean taking a handful of our most important city (but under-utilised) parks and totally redeveloping them into amazing, world-class urban parks over the next 10-15 years, leading up to SA 200 years in 2036. The parklands are arguably Adelaide’s greatest natural asset. So let’s maximise their potential for residents and visitors alike!

Surely there must be votes in such a vision?

I also vote in favour of this plan.

[thecityguy]

I wonder if either political party took to the 2022 election a bold agenda of the greatest transformation of the Adelaide parklands since they were first established, would it be a vote winner?

I don’t mean development over the parklands.

I mean taking a handful of our most important city (but under-utilised) parks and totally redeveloping them into amazing, world-class urban parks over the next 10-15 years, leading up to SA 200 years in 2036. The parklands are arguably Adelaide’s greatest natural asset. So let’s maximise their potential for residents and visitors alike!

I’m thinking:

- Riverbank: Between the weir and Frome St bridge, new quality urban landscaping which makes it a pleasure to walk along. Not bitumen! Provide seating, shade and beautiful landscaping. Turn the totally under-utilised Pinky Flat into a stunning floral garden that people would seek out to visit for its beauty. Create a wide boardwalk for walking/jogging/rollerblading and cycling on BOTH sides of the river. Have restaurants facing the river between Morphett St bridge and the Adelaide Oval footbridge.

- West parklands: Bonython Park ... wetlands park with boardwalks, water features, planting hundreds of new trees for better shade, beautiful landscaping etc

- North parklands: The parkland around the current Aquatic Centre/future Crows HQ ... this community facility could be improved with the addition of a huge adventure playground, introduction of grassy mounds to relieve the flat terrain, planting hundreds of new trees for better shade, beautiful landscaping etc and improved connection to the top end of O’Connell St.

- East parklands: Victoria Park ... this has the greatest potential of all the parks. Create a huge lake and island in the centre. Then add a large adventure playground, BMX track, grassy slopes to relieve the flat terrain, planting hundreds/thousands of new trees for better shade, beautiful landscaping etc and improved connection between the SE corner of the CBD and Rose Park. Think of something like the Roma St Parklands in Brisbane.

This would need to be an investment of perhaps $1B or more over the timeframe.

Bring the parklands under state government control and funding. State govt takes all planning powers from Adelaide City Council. In return, ACC has $7-8M per year extra to spend on other things.

Rezone surrounding roads to permit mid-rise apartments to take advantage of the beautiful views over these parks.

Hopefully Adelaide would become synonymous with beautiful parklands. Perhaps we even gain a world heritage listing for our parklands by then. And further enhance our reputation as one of the worlds most liveable cities.

Surely there must be votes in such a vision?

Love it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Eurostar]

The render here looks good. One thing I'd add to the plan is turn Angas Street into a no through road or one way only (westbound) between the theatre and Victoria Square

[citywatcher]

Finish Vic Sq
I've always thought most of the parklands should be built over with high density housing anyway
No one has the money , vision , or sweat to do anything else with them
Most of it has always been an embarrassment- can't even look after the fucken things with a bit of the rolling up of the sleeves
If you can't make it look like Hyde Pk in Sydney don't bother
Sent from my SM-J730G using Tapatalk

[bits]

Finish Vic Sq
Most of it has always been an embarrassment- can't even look after the fucken things with a bit of the rolling up of the sleeves
If you can't make it look like Hyde Pk in Sydney don't bother

Can you point me to the spots which are bad?
I think the biggest problem with the parklands is people's view of them.
Botanic Garden, Botanic Park, Veale Gardens, Himeji Garden, Rymill Park, Rundle Park, Adelaide Zoo, Clover Playground, West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide High School, Adelaide Oval, Bonython Park, BMX track, tree climb, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Marshmellow Playground, Adelaide Uni, North Adelaide Golf Course, Adelaide Aquatic Centre.

Where is the embarrassing bit?

[citywatcher]

Finish Vic Sq
Most of it has always been an embarrassment- can't even look after the fucken things with a bit of the rolling up of the sleeves
If you can't make it look like Hyde Pk in Sydney don't bother

Can you point me to the spots which are bad?
I think the biggest problem with the parklands is people's view of them.
Botanic Garden, Botanic Park, Veale Gardens, Himeji Garden, Rymill Park, Rundle Park, Adelaide Zoo, Clover Playground, West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide High School, Adelaide Oval, Bonython Park, BMX track, tree climb, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Marshmellow Playground, Adelaide Uni, North Adelaide Golf Course, Adelaide Aquatic Centre.

Where is the embarrassing bit?

All the places you've named have been built on haven't they

Sent from my SM-J730G using Tapatalk

[Nort]

Finish Vic Sq
Most of it has always been an embarrassment- can't even look after the fucken things with a bit of the rolling up of the sleeves
If you can't make it look like Hyde Pk in Sydney don't bother

Can you point me to the spots which are bad?
I think the biggest problem with the parklands is people's view of them.
Botanic Garden, Botanic Park, Veale Gardens, Himeji Garden, Rymill Park, Rundle Park, Adelaide Zoo, Clover Playground, West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide High School, Adelaide Oval, Bonython Park, BMX track, tree climb, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Marshmellow Playground, Adelaide Uni, North Adelaide Golf Course, Adelaide Aquatic Centre.

Where is the embarrassing bit?

All the places you've named have been built on haven't they

Sent from my SM-J730G using Tapatalk

Here's a map of the parklands:

So which areas should we declare as useless and turn into housing instead?

Also the Hyde Park comparison is a strange one, because Adelaide does have some beautifully landscaped areas. The total area of the parklands (not including areas built on for the hospital, Adelaide Oval etc) is 6-7 times larger than Hyde Park and comprised of multiple different ecosystems and intended uses.

[citywatcher]

Can you point me to the spots which are bad?
I think the biggest problem with the parklands is people's view of them.
Botanic Garden, Botanic Park, Veale Gardens, Himeji Garden, Rymill Park, Rundle Park, Adelaide Zoo, Clover Playground, West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide High School, Adelaide Oval, Bonython Park, BMX track, tree climb, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Marshmellow Playground, Adelaide Uni, North Adelaide Golf Course, Adelaide Aquatic Centre.

Where is the embarrassing bit?

All the places you've named have been built on haven't they

Sent from my SM-J730G using Tapatalk

Here's a map of the parklands:

adelaide.JPG

So which areas should we declare as useless and turn into housing instead?

Also the Hyde Park comparison is a strange one, because Adelaide does have some beautifully landscaped areas. The total area of the parklands (not including areas built on for the hospital, Adelaide Oval etc) is 6-7 times larger than Hyde Park and comprised of multiple different ecosystems and intended uses.

You want to compare what is here to Hyde Park?
Go for a drive/walk it will soon become apparent

Sent from my SM-J730G using Tapatalk

[Nort]

All the places you've named have been built on haven't they

Sent from my SM-J730G using Tapatalk

Here's a map of the parklands:

adelaide.JPG

So which areas should we declare as useless and turn into housing instead?

Also the Hyde Park comparison is a strange one, because Adelaide does have some beautifully landscaped areas. The total area of the parklands (not including areas built on for the hospital, Adelaide Oval etc) is 6-7 times larger than Hyde Park and comprised of multiple different ecosystems and intended uses.

You want to compare what is here to Hyde Park?
Go for a drive/walk it will soon become apparent

Sent from my SM-J730G using Tapatalk

Adelaide Botanic Gardens, Botanic Park, the golf courses, Linear Park (the sections that travel through the parklands), the area behind Adelaide University, and Veale Park are all well landscaped. Could we do some stuff better? 100%. Is it reasonable (or indeed a good idea) to try and turn the parklands into one big copy of a space like Hyde Park? Hardly.

You keep diverting. Which areas would you bulldoze and turn into housing?