Suggestion - Let's help Adelaide!

[Will]

Since first joining a skyscraper community in 2002, I have shared in our joint passion for the betterment and progress of Adelaide. There are sectors of our community that want the opposite; they want to maintain the status quo and see Adelaide stagnate. These people at the moment have the upper hand on us, as they form anti-development groups which are vocal and usually force councils to vote against projects that would better our city. Although some of us have sent letters to councils supporting development, apart from that all we have done is basicallt have a bitch about the anti-development people and councils on forums such as these.

Inspired by the Advertiser's 2020 vision for Adelaide I feel it is time Sensational Adelaide forum evolved into a pro-development lobby. Instead of just voicing our support for progress on the forum we should write letters to councils, the DAP, the state government, newspapers...

Instead of writting letters as individuals we would write them on behalf of Sensational Adelaide forums. There is no difference between us and the people that form anti-development groups. These people are just noisy pensioners. We can therefore make noise, and tilt the scales in the side of progress.

We could also submit proposals and ideas to council. I have read many excellent ideas from you all, and I am confident that if they are ennacted would change Adelaide for the better.

The Advertiser is right when it claims that with innaction Adelaide will slowly die. It is our duty to help our city and make it a destination, make it vibrant and make it a city where every citizens feels proud of it.

Although we have no money or power we can still make a difference through our words. Some of you may say what can we really achieve? However let me say that it is better to try and fail than to not try at all. I feel it is time that we took a stand and saved our city from the people that are trying to hijack our city back to the era of Queen Victoria.

[Howie]

I like your thinking Will.

I've sent off a number of letters and "proposals" off to a number of council members in the past - some under the banner of sa.com some not.

I think if we're to write letters to an mp or any persons holding office under the sa.com flag, we should have a draft written up and posted here so other members of the forum have an opportunity to add or amend wherever it is appropriate.

[Algernon]

Inspired by the Advertiser's 2020 vision for Adelaide I feel it is time Sensational Adelaide forum evolved into a pro-development lobby.

No thanks.

[Will]

Inspired by the Advertiser's 2020 vision for Adelaide I feel it is time Sensational Adelaide forum evolved into a pro-development lobby.

No thanks.

Despite your negative feelings towards the Advertiser, you cannot deny that something has to be done. Despite its recent progress, Adelaide is still not regarded as a relevant city by interstate people or the young people of this state.

I'm not in any way saying we work with the Advertiser.

Or are you oppossed to my idea?

In that case I am genuinely baffled. Hoping for the best isn't going to solve the problems facing this city.

[Will]

I think the first step would be to draft some kind of S.A. Forum mission statement outlining our goals and vision for Adelaide.


In regard to generating proposals, we could start brainstorming threads where we come up with ideas on different toopics e.g. How to make Adelaide more attractive...

We would then discuss which ideas to reject and which to present to relevant authorities. This could be done by popular votation.

[Algernon]

edited.

[Howie]

I don't think the idea is that bad.

Right this moment though, i think we should try to grow forum membership. Only about 30 of our members are really active on the forum.

Anything that eventuates through intervention (lobbying) would be a bonus.

[Waz]

I think we've already got it over the NIMBYs in this state. The only reason anyone from interstate thinks we're a backwater is because WE OURSELVES act as if we're a backwater. If we stop trying to be what other cities are and start being better at being ADELAIDE, we'd shrug off a lot of interstate criticism and gain more respect from abroad.

Enough said.

[Howie]

That's a very good point you make Waz.

[Will]

I think we've already got it over the NIMBYs in this state. The only reason anyone from interstate thinks we're a backwater is because WE OURSELVES act as if we're a backwater. If we stop trying to be what other cities are and start being better at being ADELAIDE, we'd shrug off a lot of interstate criticism and gain more respect from abroad.

Enough said.

I don't think Adelaide is a backwater, however my thoughts are irrelevant when you go into a university or high school and ask the students what they think of Adelaide.

Sadly the majority will tell you it is a backwater and cannot wait to leave. Pretending that this is not a problem is not good enough.

[Will]

Just out of curiosity why is everyone opposed to my idea?

What exactly is so bad with the idea of sending letters to councils, state government outlining our support for major projects.

Why do people suggest it is a bad idea to send a letter signed Sensational Adelaide forums to the ACC outlining our support and reasons for why they should get behind the tram extension?

And why is it bad to brainstorm ideas that could make our city more relevant?

[Waz]

I'm as pro-development as they come, and I support your views 100% in your first post. Though I'm not overly sure if S-A would make much of a difference to anyone. The words "minority group" come to mind...

Being part of this community, I'd not mind petitioning councils and or developers here and there, but becoming a lobby might be a tad too far?

[Will]

I'm as pro-development as they come, and I support your views 100% in your first post. Though I'm not overly sure if S-A would make much of a difference to anyone. The words "minority group" come to mind...

Being part of this community, I'd not mind petitioning councils and or developers here and there, but becoming a lobby might be a tad too far?

OK maybe becoming a lobby group was too revolutionary idea, but I just feel we can make a difference if we send letters signed SA forums. Although at first the council, state government may not take any notice, after a while after repeated letters and signed online petitions they may take notice.

And I feel we should send letters only when projects are under attack from anti-development groups. For example we could have sent a letter to the council urging them to approve the O'Connel Street development. Or back in 2002 we could have sent a letter to the state government urging them to go through with the 15 level Platinum on the Beach building at Glenelg.

I think the anti-development groups have achieved a lot. I doubt whether membership for the North Adelaide residents association exceeds our SA forum membership yet they managed to derail the Makris development for O'Connel Street. Also the Glenelg residents Association only has around 50 members yet they managed to greatly reduce the scope of the last stage of Holdfast Shores.

I think we can make a difference, we are not going to lose anything if we try.

[crawf]

Great Ideas Will, but no thanks

I believe Adelaide is starting to shrug of the backwater tag

btw State Pride has improved alot since the airport embarassment

[Howie]

Well, i'm all for it.

I felt sort of lonely writing letters to the city council and mike rann in regards to the makris development.

Like Will said, we've got nothing to lose right?