[COM] Victoria Park Redevelopment

[rev]

Erm, the original plans allowed for parts of the new building to be hired out for events or special occasions. It would have been used beyond the Clipsal 500.
There also would have been new pit facilities on the ground floor for the races. This wasn't simply just a nice air-conditioned building for the premier and his mates on race day to enjoy a few glasses of wine.
Anyhow, lets all enjoy even more of our taxes being spent erecting temporary roofs on temporary stands. I'm sure certain groups wouldn't mind a tax increase to pay for such things, after all they get to keep their under-used grass. We had another golden opportunity, and we missed it, as per usual. I should be used to this by now, but somehow I still can't believe it.

[crawf]

The only good thing that has come out of this, is that the Clipsal is going to have much better looking facilities next year and it could be using the full former Grand Prix circuit (along Rundle Road). I don't think the upmarket businesses in the East End will be happy to hear that

[monotonehell]

The only good thing that has come out of this, is that the Clipsal is going to have much better looking facilities next year and it could be using the full former Grand Prix circuit (along Rundle Road). I don't think the upmarket businesses in the East End will be happy to hear that

It would also clash with the Fringe facilities.

You guys keep forgetting my solution...

[JamesXander]

haha elizabeffffff.

I think if they moved the Clipsal out of the city Attendances would more then halve.

[monotonehell]

haha elizabeffffff.

I think if they moved the Clipsal out of the city Attendances would more then halve.

Why? most of the attendees come from there and there's a perfectly good train line to carry petrol heads from down south. Also it would "revive the area and inject more life back into it".

(just jokes people)

[Wayno]

haha elizabeffffff.

I think if they moved the Clipsal out of the city Attendances would more then halve.

Why? most of the attendees come from there and there's a perfectly good train line to carry petrol heads from down south. Also it would "revive the area and inject more life back into it".

(just jokes people)

Elizabeth! The only super car race in australia where wheels get stolen during a pitstop!

[Cruise]

You guys keep forgetting my solution...

NO!!!! you cant go through those parklands!!!!!!!!

[Bulldozer]

I'll say this; there are other areas in town that have far greater potential than Victoria Park. My life will go on if VP becomes a large open area, and temporary stands must be built each year for the Clipsal. I would much rather see attention paid to the Festival Plaza, the railyards, Riverbank, or Victoria Sqaure, because they are areas right at the core of our city and will actually be used by large numbers of people (as opposed to Mr. Daly's sweet little claims that eleventy zillion people patronise Victoria Park).

Indeed. Would be good to see council show Victoria Park the same level of neglect that they do to most of the rest of the parklands and then laugh at all the regressives when they come out to complain about "their" beautiful park being a weed and homeless bum infested dustbowl.

I reckon it would be pretty good to see council lease it to a farmer - there's City Beach so why not City Farm?

[monotonehell]

I reckon it would be pretty good to see council lease it to a farmer - there's City Beach so why not City Farm?

http://www.city-farm.org/

[Ho Really]

Erm, the original plans allowed for parts of the new building to be hired out for events or special occasions. It would have been used beyond the Clipsal 500.

Not big enough.

Cheers

[stumpjumper]

rev, one of the negative aspects of the proposed Vic Park building was that it would be used for the four day Clipsal race and for up to 30 SAJC races per year.

That's usage on less than 10% of days per year, which makes it hard to make a cost benefit case for the proposal.

If you are suggesting that the building would have been a 'general licenced facility' (a suggestion not made by any of the parties), what would be the limits of use by third parties? Could it open every day and night of the year, with parking available etc? Are you saying that any location in the parklands should be available for private development?

[Wayno]

11 months of turmoil each year?
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/stor ... 01,00.html

THE State Government has trumped opponents of a permanent Victoria Park grandstand with a temporary structure exactly the same size as last year's failed plan.

In a move Deputy Premier Kevin Foley said could happen "only in Adelaide", the park will now be a construction zone for up to 11 months while the temporary grandstand is erected and dismantled.

Final designs for the stand were obtained by The Advertiser yesterday.

The temporary stand will be the same dimensions – three storeys high, 200m long and 15m wide – as the Government's revised $55 million permanent grandstand rejected by the Adelaide City Council.
Work is scheduled to begin in June, with infrastructure for the race unlikely to be entirely removed until at least late April next year.

The State Government was forced to build the temporary stand after fierce lobbying convinced Adelaide City Council to block plans for a permanent structure.

The temporary stand, expected to be completed by December, will cost $600,000 each year to erect and dismantle.

Mr Foley yesterday said "only in Adelaide" could the original plan to build a permanent stand be scrapped in favour of a temporary structure.

"Some cynics might say only in Adelaide could this be the resolution," he said.

"Our preferred option was a permanent facility that would have given the community thousands of square metres of green space returned.

"It would have cleaned up an ugly part of Adelaide, it would have left horse racing as a beautiful feature of our city but that's not what the opponents wanted.

"The Adelaide City Council has kicked an own goal."

Adelaide Parklands Preservation Association president Jim Daly, who is concerned about the size of the temporary stand, accused the Government of "planning by stealth".

Mr Foley, however, warned any complaints should not be directed towards the State Government.

"Sometimes, you should be careful what you wish for," he said.

"If you are unhappy with what the Government is doing, just direct your complaints to the Adelaide City Council at the door of (Lord Mayor) Michael Harbison and (councillor) Anne Moran."

Mr Foley said the time required to build the stand was likely to reduce once constructors were used to erecting it. The stand and shadecloths over the seating would take at least a month longer to assemble and to remove after the first race.

"Over time, we hope we can get that construction period down closer to what it was previously but only time will tell," Mr Foley said.

"Any complaints or protests from the Adelaide City Council will fall on deaf ears with the Government."

As part of the $20 million project, the Government also will resurface the race track in Victoria Park. New barriers and kerbing will be built.

Mr Foley said the temporary grandstand would be "cutting edge". "What South Australia is getting is the most technically advanced temporary buildings available anywhere in the world," he said.

"Importantly, the new pit structure and garages provide more room for race officials, teams and their sponsors, which, in turn, should mean additional investors and sponsors will become involved in the event."

Mr Daly said he was concerned by the size of the stand and questioned if it was a genuine temporary stand.

"I think the height and size of the building is a concern and it seems to be planning by stealth to sneak in a building that is virtually the same" as the one rejected by the council, he said.

"I would be very suspicious of the planning which is trying to manipulate a decision that was made by council to reject the lease to the Government in the first place.

Ms Moran said the construction time was "unacceptable".

"If the construction time is so long, then it really is a permanent temporary structure and if the park is never free from it then they need to redesign it," she said.

Parliament's public works committee will receive the grandstand design next month.

An Advertiser poll found two-thirds of people wanted a permanent grandstand for horse and motor racing. Only 29 per cent of voters were opposed to building a permanent grandstand in Victoria Park.

The South Australian Jockey Club will abandon its lease on Victoria Park by the end of this month.

[rhino]

Foley hit the nail on the head. "Be careful what you wish for".

[Wayno]

with the SAJC gone from Vic Park, and IF a permanent grandstand was ever erected (which i still htink is a good idea), surely it would now have to be publicly accessible (corporate events + private functions + public events) to be justified?

[Wayno]

Adelaide Council approves larger temporary stand
http://adelaide.yourguide.com.au/news/l ... 32162.html

Adelaide City Council has accepted plans to build a temporary grandstand at Victoria Park.

Lord Mayor Michael Harbison said he had no problems with the final plans for the temporary grandstand even though it is the same size as a permanent one would have been.

He said the new temporary stand was a reasonable compromise and he was prepared to accept months of construction work to put up the three-storey, 200-metre-long structure for next year's Adelaide 500 motor race.

"The (State) Government have said they need a new stand. They decided they'll stick to a temporary stand and the council accepts that," Mr Harbison said.

The fight over the issue forced a South Australian Jockey Club decision to abandon horse racing at Victoria Park and focus its operations at Morphettville racecourse.