[U/C] New Police Barracks

[rev]

Probably better to have it's own thread instead of clogging up the nWCH thread.

First look: Plans for new CBD staging area for police horses, dogs revealed
New plans for a staging area for SA’s working police horses and dogs have been released – and the public will have an open view of the iconic animals.
Denise Cahill

@DeniseCahill18
less than 2 min read
November 3, 2023 - 6:00PM

The public will have an open view of the most important members of the Mounted and Dog Operations units, with the state government releasing the first images of a staging area for the iconic animals – right in the heart of the city.

The $10m facility to be built on the 4000sq m government-owned land adjacent to the Supreme Court at the corner of King William and Wright streets, will include 12 stables and six kennels.

An artist’s impression shows a green area, visible to passers-by, that blends into the streetscape.




Artist’s impressions for the new SA Police Mounted and Dog Operations Units King William and Wright Streets Adelaide

A custom and future-proof facility has been designed in consultation with an equine architect to suit the police greys.

It comes following the controversial decision to relocate the Mounted Operation Unit from the Thebarton Barracks to Gepps Cross to make way for the construction of the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

Police Minister Joe Szakacs said the city staging area would deliver a unique insight into the daily lives of the police greys, with the open green site a welcome addition to the Adelaide CBD.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said police horses provided a high visibility presence to help reduce crime in Adelaide’s CBD, especially during planned large events and on weekends.

[Mpol02]

Wtf

[whatstheirnamesmom]

This has to be it. The pinnacle of poor land use proposals in all of Adelaide city in the last decade.

This even tops the data centre on Pirie/Frome

I will admit that it is marginally better than letting the land continue to sit there unactivated. But incurring the opportunity cost of turning it into a mixed use site/a pocket park/public space/almost literally anything else is a shame.

[Algernon]

This has to be it. The pinnacle of poor land use proposals in all of Adelaide city in the last decade.

This even tops the data centre on Pirie/Frome

I will admit that it is marginally better than letting the land continue to sit there unactivated. But incurring the opportunity cost of turning it into a mixed use site/a pocket park/public space/almost literally anything else is a shame.

If nobody else was offering to do something with the land, then there is no opportunity cost. And a 10 million investment is nothing, so it's hardly an irreversible land use change.

Why not have the horsies in town? I think anyone with a young daughter walking around there is going to appreciate the 5 minute timeout to go gawk at them. When I was a kid, people were fighting it out to get a good spot looking at them in Bonython Park. Or is it all iPads and Pokemon these days

[dsriggs]

It's an improvement on the Absolutely Nothing in the same plot of land for the last generation or so.

[SRW]

I've never understood why it's been fenced off this whole time. Was it contaminated or something? Could've at least been a nice little public garden while waiting for development.

I guess this means they're really not planning on building new court facilities any time soon.

[[Shuz]]

Very poor outcome. Given the courts requested a $500m investment to address the backlog which still has not been addressed several years later.

[rev]

Very poor outcome. Given the courts requested a $500m investment to address the backlog which still has not been addressed several years later.

It's like we're stepping back in time. Prime location like that on the doorstep of Vic Square, and it's going to be turned into stables and kennels.
Why couldn't they use part of the western parklands, or even an area of or near Lot 14/Botanic Gardens/Zoo?

[ChillyPhilly]

What an awful idea.

Poor horses caught up in the middle of what has been a horribly managed project.

[wilkiebarkid]

What about Le Fevre Park in North Adelaide? Plenty of space so that the horses can have a decent trot around the place.

[Hippodamus]

disgraceful... what on earth are these decision makers doing. this definitely has to be one of the worst short-sighted concepts I've seen in a long time. And even their argument about seeing horses etc... the plans provided do nothing to support this, with large vegetative barriers in the way.

The Council Development Plan would be a good first point of call to check about such a land use in this core city location. I would not think that animal husbandry would be conducive for such a central location, but perhaps considering this is for the Police then there may be other legislative considerations and politics at play as well (the're clearly getting away with it, because they have flapped their arms a lot over the NWCH so seems like a 'so there' look what we can do type of move).

I hope it dies, awful idea.

[Nathan]

What about Le Fevre Park in North Adelaide? Plenty of space so that the horses can have a decent trot around the place.

I've asked that question as well. Whilst I don't love the idea of using parklands, it's better than the privately owned horses that already call Le Fevre Park home.

[timtam20292]

I thought it was going to Gepps Cross? Hope this one is rejected on the grounds that it is prime location. The south parklands original idea is looking like a missed opportunity now.

[PD2/20]

I thought it was going to Gepps Cross? Hope this one is rejected on the grounds that it is prime location. The south parklands original idea is looking like a missed opportunity now.

The CBD site proposal is for a staging area in addition to the Gepps Cross facility for the dogs and horses.

Are prime locations to be restricted to only residential or commercial developments and not for any other uses?

[timtam20292]

I thought it was going to Gepps Cross? Hope this one is rejected on the grounds that it is prime location. The south parklands original idea is looking like a missed opportunity now.

The CBD site proposal is for a staging area in addition to the Gepps Cross facility for the dogs and horses.

Are prime locations to be restricted to only residential or commercial developments and not for any other uses?

Thanks for clearing that up.