[COM] Victoria Square Upgrade - $24m

[Norman]

Didn't the ACC say that, if they did not secure funding from the State government, that they would still implement the plan, but in stages?

[Wayno]

Didn't the ACC say that, if they did not secure funding from the State government, that they would still implement the plan, but in stages?

Yep, i think Harbo said that...

[SRW]

According to Clr Plumridge in his last newsletter, "Victoria Square plan is currently being documented in preparation for going to tender at about the middle of 2011." I'm curious what "being documented" actually means, and why it takes around a year.

In any event, though I am pleased the council has produced a decent masterplan, I will not be showering them with praise for their handling of the process. The strong rhetoric in favour of the project has not been matched by a commitment to bring it to fruition. Timetables have either not been kept or not been made public. It was seemingly a non-issue in the recent elections.

So I'll be interested to see how Stephen and the new council approach Victoria Square.

[omada]

The new design is an epic fail anyway, it has no vision, It is not reinstating the square, look all they had to do was close off Grote Street, I couldn't give a tinkers cuss about arbors. Lets hope it never gets funding, then we can wait another 50 years until the ACC grow some bollocks, or at least until they are sacked.

[Dylan_]

The new design is an epic fail anyway, it has no vision, It is not reinstating the square, look all they had to do was close off Grote Street, I couldn't give a tinkers cuss about arbors. Lets hope it never gets funding, then we can wait another 50 years until the ACC grow some bollocks, or at least until they are sacked.

Considering the power of business groups and car lobbyists, do you really think any such proposal would happen? Sadly, it would be political suicide for all involved.
The way they've proposed looks promising - a low speed limit zone through the square, with the capability to shut it off for events. When people get used to that, /then/ it might be possible to block off the street completely.

[omada]

omada wrote:The new design is an epic fail anyway, it has no vision, It is not reinstating the square, look all they had to do was close off Grote Street, I couldn't give a tinkers cuss about arbors. Lets hope it never gets funding, then we can wait another 50 years until the ACC grow some bollocks, or at least until they are sacked.



Considering the power of business groups and car lobbyists, do you really think any such proposal would happen? Sadly, it would be political suicide for all involved.
The way they've proposed looks promising - a low speed limit zone through the square, with the capability to shut it off for events. When people get used to that, /then/ it might be possible to block off the street completely.

Yes agreed Dylan, but since my bitchy post this morning I have learnt that Stephen Yarwood is now Lord Mayor. If anyone will bring about change (ie some "balls" for the ACC) it will be him.

[spiller]

^^^ agreed. Yarwood is going to be great for Adelaide. Finally someone on the council in a postion of significant responsibility whom represents and relates to the future of Adelaide (i.e. youth)

[Wayno]

From Indaily:

Lid to be lifted on Vic Square

THE Three Rivers Fountain will be moved to the southern end of Victoria Square, the Queen Victoria statue will be sent to the northern end and a Kaurna centre will be set in the middle, in a revised masterplan to be released early next year.

Indaily understands the full details will be released in February and they will involve changes to key elements of a $100 million Victoria Square masterplan put out for public consultation by Adelaide City Council last May.

That plan included three-lane traffic around the square and keeping the Grote-Wakefield crossing open to daily through-traffic, but closed for major events.

It also included an events stage on the northern tip, a garden/wetland area on the southern side, tree arbours around the perimeter of the square, a jumbo television screen and bicycle storage areas.

Cr Anne Moran yesterday revealed to Indaily the basic structure of the plan remained the same, but changes included removing the giant screen and moving the fountain to the southern end.

Masterplan architects Taylor Cullity Lethlean briefed City councillors on the revised plan last week following the consultation period.

The State Government funded the $2 million final engineering and design study which considered the feasibility of the proposed plan.

“I think some of these changes have made the plan less appealing,” Cr Moran said. “They wanted to drop the giant screen, but we said people would love it. It will get people there.”

The Queen Victoria statue would be moved from the centre of the square to the northern end in front of the SA Water building with the other statues in the square. In its place will be a Kaurna centre of culture and performing space.

“People might feel the square is being disrespected by relegating Queen Victoria to the edge,” Cr Moran said.

The council has raised $24 million to fund part of the plan, but will rely on state and federal government funding to complete the $100 million redesign.

Plans to reinvigorate Victoria Square have been designed and gone nowhere many times.

Cr Moran was wary this could be yet another false hope and she doubted that the State Government would fund the project.

“My personal view is that none of this is going to happen.

“We don’t have the money and the Government is focusing its attention elsewhere like the Riverbank precinct and the (Adelaide) Oval.”

When the masterplan was released in May the State Opposition said now was the time to finally act. Former Lord Mayor Michael Harbison echoed those sentiments this week.

“The council has enough of its own money to make a great deal of difference,” Mr Harbison said.

“I’m happy with how this is progressing. I just want to see it happen.”

[Nathan]

Is the middle of the Victoria Square really the appropriate place for a "Kaurna centre of culture and performing space". Surely it would be better placed as one of the buildings facing the square (perhaps in the north west corner), rather than in it.

And what would it serve that would make it distinct from Tandanya?

[peas_and_corn]

How exactly is moving stuff around and adding a centre a 'masterplan'?

[Isiskii]

Remember, this is Adelaide...

[Wayno]

How exactly is moving stuff around and adding a centre a 'masterplan'?

It's a *revised* master plan. Did you not notice the original?

[Wayno]

Remember, this is Adelaide...

please read.

[peas_and_corn]

How exactly is moving stuff around and adding a centre a 'masterplan'?

It's a *revised* master plan. Did you not notice the original?

Yeah, I remember it, there were some good ideas there. Sadly this isn't much of an improvement.

[Wayno]

A PROMISED $100 million overhaul of Victoria Square is in limbo due to the Adelaide Oval upgrade.

898461-victoria-square.jpg (87.5 KiB) Viewed 3070 times

Almost a year ago, Adelaide City Council announced plans to re-invigorate the neglected heart of the CBD, backed by $24 million of ratepayers' money and $2 million from the State Government to assist in final engineering and consultation.

It met with acclaim from architects and planning experts but suspicion from many in the public, who have seen dozens of similar plans rise and fail over decades.

In the months since, the council has experienced an internal bureaucratic overhaul and an election, which brought a new lord mayor and forced the exit of about half the sitting councillors. Nothing has happened in Victoria Square.

Lord Mayor Stephen Yarwood told The Advertiser the council was undertaking "detailed design" on the masterplan released last year and discussing funding with state and federal governments.

"The council is looking at a range of funding sources with regard to delivery of this exciting project," Mr Yarwood said.

Construction was on track to begin as soon as November.

Two-term councillor Sandy Wilkinson said the appetite for development in Victoria Square remained as strong within the current council as the former.

However, he conceded even the limited funds the council had already set aside were difficult to provide due to a limited $160 million annual budget. Further ratepayer funds for the project were highly unlikely.

City of Adelaide Minister John Rau said he expected to receive plans from the council in May. "No decisions can be made about the next steps until the plans have been received," he said.

However, the council is already facing external calls to abandon the Victoria Square plans and focus on other needy public spaces like Rundle Mall.

BusinessSA chief executive Peter Vaughan said: "There's no reason to spend all that money on something no one will use and that competes with what would be built at the Riverbank. The emphasis will move to Rundle Mall and North Adelaide and away from Victoria Square."