News & Discussion: Adelaide City Council

[Omicron]

I for one hope to see more Play Grounds in the Park Lands, and perhaps some attention paid to the River Beds and neighbouring Foot Paths. That reminds me - how is the Grand Stand looking these days? I should head past on my Motor Bike and investigate the Pipe Line construction, too, come to think of it.

[AtD]

(Assumes AtD meant "reason it was rejected") +1 to that

Yes, I did. Teaches me to come on here before coffee.

[JamesXander]

How can you complain about the Clipsal construction time, when you blocked the move to build a permanent grand stand in the first place???

Also on the events in the park lands, increase the fees for the bigger events. Simple as that. Please do not try to stop, or restrict events from happening in the Park Lands. For many its the only time they venture into the City Scrub.

[Vee]

How can you complain about the Clipsal construction time, when you blocked the move to build a permanent grand stand in the first place???

Also on the events in the park lands, increase the fees for the bigger events. Simple as that. Please do not try to stop, or restrict events from happening in the Park Lands. For many its the only time they venture into the City Scrub.

I agree with James on both fronts.

It's sad and so frustrating to see the largely dusty parklands (with so many dead trees) and the huge amount of time and money spent on erecting temporary stands every year. The permanent multi-purpose stand should have been built instead of becoming a political football.
It's great to see public events in the Park Lands, whether they are free or commercial. It brings vibrancy and much needed recreational, cultural and special interest events in an accessible and high profile location.

The Park Lands are for everyone, not just for narrow sectarian / parochial interest groups.
Adelaide needs more, not less, events and happenings (community/state/national/I-N) and a central location is one ingredient for success.

The Glenelg - Adelaide Park Lands recycled water project is a step in the right direction. Is it possible to create a wetlands?

[Wayno]

I agree with James on both fronts.

It's sad and so frustrating to see the largely dusty parklands (with so many dead trees) and the huge amount of time and money spent on erecting temporary stands every year. The permanent multi-purpose stand should have been built instead of becoming a political football.
It's great to see public events in the Park Lands, whether they are free or commercial. It brings vibrancy and much needed recreational, cultural and special interest events in an accessible and high profile location.

The Park Lands are for everyone, not just for narrow sectarian / parochial interest groups.
Adelaide needs more, not less, events and happenings (community/state/national/I-N) and a central location is one ingredient for success.

The Glenelg - Adelaide Park Lands recycled water project is a step in the right direction. Is it possible to create a wetlands?

A large-ish Wetlands is planned for the SE corner. Other areas may involve wetlands too. Search the S-A threads as somewhere is a link to the ACC Park Lands Master Plan.

Re. the Grandstand, the Rann Goct passed laws to stop construction on the Park Lands only a few years ago. The ACC simply follows the laws. That's an oversimplified explanation - but makes the point. Temporary structures probably rely on some sort of legal loophole.

Yes, A near CBD location for events helps ensure success. Agree 100%. The majority of S-A members also agree with drastically increasing the CBD population - and we relish each new tall residential building. Will be interesting to see how the growing population adjacent to the Park Lands tolerate large-scale (and sometimes noisy) events. Could be a double-edged sword!

[david]

In response to James and Veemur let's try to clarify a few points!

- Adelaide City Council, the State Government and I think most people on S-A are all on the same page about dramatically increasing the city population and if that means tall apartment buildings that's fine by me and I am sure by many of my Council colleagues. The only qualification I have is that not everyone can afford expensive Park Lands edge apartments and we must ensure a good mix of housing types so that we get a good social mix which allows anybody who works in the city a chance to buy or rent in the city.(i.e. affordable housing)

- The permanent corporate stand in Victoria Park would not have reduced overall construction time by more than a couple of weeks; there would have still been all the other stands and supporting structures to be built all over the north end of Victoria park and out into the other parks. At least now we have a decent space with some lovely vista and views of the hills for about half of the year. I am not sure who these "narrow sectarian/parochial interest groups are who are supposed to be preventing public use of the parks?

- In the 6 months of the year when Victoria Park is not commandeered for Clipsal (under its very own Act of Parliament by the way) the park is regularly used by schools for organised sport, the Pedal Prix people, numerous cyclists and hundreds of other people who come from far and wide to enjoy one of the few large open spaces in the inner metropolitan area where you can walk a dog, take your exercise, fly a kite. commune with nature or do any of the things which many people like to think of as 'recreation' . What's so wrong with that?

- Over this weekend alone, the Park Lands are being used for the International 3 Day Event, Korean Cultural Festival, Classic Car display, Feast Festival and Aussie Swap Meet (cancelled due to the weather)

- SA Water has cut Council's water allocation by about 35% on the last couple of years so it is hardly surprising that some trees are dying. We have had to priortise the use of water between trees and maintaining the events spaces with grass. Many dying trees are actually at the end of their life with the drought hastening the inevitable. GAP recycel water will come on-line at the end of the year which will help although it comes at a substantial cost! And yes, wetlands are planned for the South Park Lands when funds can be made available.

David

[mattblack]

I am not sure who these "narrow sectarian/parochial interest groups are who are supposed to be preventing public use of the parks?

The Parkland Preservation Society for one. People that live outside the ACC catchment have genuine conserns that these minority groups (although they might be well intensioned) have greater power or influence on the council, and therefore the Adelaide CBD as a whole, that they desreve. Dismissing peoples perseptions does the council no good on the PR front.

- In the 6 months of the year when Victoria Park is not commandeered for Clipsal (under its very own Act of Parliament by the way) the park is regularly used by schools for organised sport, the Pedal Prix people, numerous cyclists and hundreds of other people who come from far and wide to enjoy one of the few large open spaces in the inner metropolitan area where you can walk a dog, take your exercise, fly a kite. commune with nature or do any of the things which many people like to think of as 'recreation' . What's so wrong with that?

Im not sure what official stats say, maybe you could provide some, but I dont think that people come from near and far to enjoy the parklands for what they are at the moment. For sport maybe but not to commune with nature, unless you are interested in expanses of dust at the moment. I do commend the revegitation of parts of the parklands although it will take many years to become established enough to enjoy its new found biodiversity. The parklands trail is also a great initiative.

Over this weekend alone, the Park Lands are being used for the International 3 Day Event, Korean Cultural Festival, Classic Car display, Feast Festival and Aussie Swap Meet (cancelled due to the weather)

I accidently walked passed the Korean festival and saw th arrival of the people ready to enjoy the Feast festival today. Is there any way the council can publish a monthly list of events that are taking place in the parklands. If you do already then your advertising of such events really should be expanded so people have a greater appreciation of what is going on.

GAP recycel water will come on-line at the end of the year which will help although it comes at a substantial cost!

A small price to pay for having the parklands in the ACC catchment

[david]

Councillor's Notes - Issue 38

- Peak Oil - Off the Boil?
- Walk 21 and a case for better city design.
- A story from Sweden
- Commuity Gardens update.
- A selection of recent Council Decisions.

David

NOTES FROM COUNCILLOR Issue 38.pdf

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[Wayno]

Councillor's Notes - Issue 38

Hi David, few questions

Walk21: is it your intent to have Council adjust its goals to more closely align with the principles of Walk21? or do you believe Council is already adequately focused (and measuring its progress/performance) against such matters? signing the charter would be great, as long as doing so means Council will critically monitor progress and adjust direction as required. A degree of State Govt funding for such a program would seem appropriate.

Community Gardens: i'm in favour of such gardens, but cautious about using them to grow food. I can see potential social (and maybe even legal) issues arising. Perhaps better to keep community gardens focused on greenery for the purpose of aesthetics (and carbon sink purposes). I could be swayed on this subject though if explained in detail.

Whitmore Square Basketball:Curious, from where did this request arise? and do similar 'sporting activity' plans exist for other cbd squares?

CITCSA: Are we expecting real benefit from the sister cities program - and excuse my ignorance, but who are our sister cities?

Fenced Dog Park?: i thought fenced areas were considered a general no-no for the parklands? hoping the people canvased for opinion goes further than Nth Adelaide.

[Howie]

Thanks again for your newsletter David.

Councillor's Notes - Issue 38

CITCSA: Are we expecting real benefit from the sister cities program - and excuse my ignorance, but who are our sister cities?

* United States Austin, Texas, United States - 1983
* New Zealand Christchurch, New Zealand - 1972
* Malaysia George Town, Penang, Malaysia - 1973
* Japan Himeji, Japan - 1982
* People's Republic of China Wuhan, China - 2007

[SRW]

Similar to what I was suggesting here:

Artists' rent-free plan for derelict buildings
ABC News Online, 24 November 2009

A plan to give struggling artists or emerging businesses rent-free access to derelict city buildings has been backed by Adelaide City Council.

Councillor Anne Moran says it would need the support of owners of disused buildings, but a model in Newcastle has been very successful and most tenants given short-term leases have stayed and succeeded.

She says artists and others could be given 30-day leases at a time and support with issues such as insurance cover.

But Ms Moran says the success depends on owners agreeing to let the tenants clean up derelict and unoccupied buildings and have them rent-free.

"If they could afford it they wouldn't be in this scheme," she said.

She cited premises such as the old Planet nightclub in Pirie Street as being ideal for such a plan.

[fabricator]

Similar to what I was suggesting here:

Artists' rent-free plan for derelict buildings
ABC News Online, 24 November 2009
Councillor Anne Moran says it would need the support of owners of disused buildings, but a model in Newcastle has been very successful and most tenants given short-term leases have stayed and succeeded.

She says artists and others could be given 30-day leases at a time and support with issues such as insurance cover.

But Ms Moran says the success depends on owners agreeing to let the tenants clean up derelict and unoccupied buildings and have them rent-free.

A 30 day lease wouldn't be much use to most people, hell you could spend 30 days getting the place fixed up.
derelict is not the same as disused.

In any case, would you spend say $1000+ fixing up a building to make it usable, just for 30 days worth of free rent ? I know of one small business that spent $5000 just to repair a stairwell and some faulty electrical circuits in the basement.

Are the ACC going to pay for power and water to be connected as well ?

[Prince George]

Similar to what I was suggesting here:

Artists' rent-free plan for derelict buildings
ABC News Online, 24 November 2009

A plan to give struggling artists or emerging businesses rent-free access to derelict city buildings has been backed by Adelaide City Council.

That is excellent, one of the best bits of news I've heard since reading stuff like How buildings learn that underlined to me the importance of using what you've got. And great to hear plans for broadening the spectrum of people and activity to draw to the city.

Fabricator, I imagine that the idea is to have rolling 30-day leases, so the owner of the building has the flexibility to act on other opportunities that may arise (which wouldn't be the case on a 12-month lease). As it stands, the fact that these buildings have just sat empty for some time indicates that those opportunities aren't exactly falling from the sky, so it's likely that the occupants could have several months there before having to move. The question of paying for fundamental work & repairs needed before the building can be used at all is of course a tricky one, but I'm sure that it's solvable, and it seems we already have a model to learn from in Newcastle.

[Prince George]

Community Gardens: i'm in favour of such gardens, but cautious about using them to grow food. I can see potential social (and maybe even legal) issues arising. Perhaps better to keep community gardens focused on greenery for the purpose of aesthetics (and carbon sink purposes). I could be swayed on this subject though if explained in detail.

I think you're jumping at shadows on this one, Wayno; in every place that I've heard about having community gardens, they have been predominantly growing food crops. Seattle has a bunch of them, including at least one in a downtown neighbourhood that has one of the highest levels of homelessness in the country (there are more homeless in Seatttle than in, say, San Francisco) and drug-related problems, and that is also thick with new condo towers and high-end restaurants. If there was going to be social problems, you'd see it in places like that, but as far as I can see it's been a real success. If you want to learn more about it, you could even buy the book.

In fact, I'd be happy to see this taken further - what if we created a legitimate urban farm specifically for the homeless? A few acres for producing food for the most vulnerable part of our society, and a place where they could contribute their own time and effort to gain more control over their own lives. Man, that would be so cool.

[SRW]

A 30 day lease wouldn't be much use to most people, hell you could spend 30 days getting the place fixed up.
derelict is not the same as disused.

The idea, I imagine, is that the leases are periodic, meaning that they could be either renewed or rotated. This flexibility is useful for both tenant and landlord.

Also, the kinds of people that are going to be attracted by this initiative are not going to be 'most people'. We're talking about artists or small-time entrepreneurs who often only need a temporary space to exhibit their works or to construct or collaborate on larger projects.