[COM] Torrens Footbridge | $40m

[Wayno]

$15m revamp of Memorial Drive

http://www.citymessenger.com.au/article ... _news.html

MEMORIAL Drive is set for a $15 million revamp under a Tennis SA plan to bring back the Davis Cup and bolster grassroots tennis.

Tennis SA chief executive Alistair MacDonald last week said the arena was falling behind those in other states and needed to be brought "up to scratch'' to compete for major tournaments.

Memorial Drive staged its last Adelaide International tournament in January, with the Australian Open warm-up event moving to Brisbane next year. It last held a Davis Cup tie in 2004, against Sweden.

Tennis SA's plan includes a new 500-seat western stand, with club and conference rooms.
The north stand would get a new roof, a 1500-seat second tier and a high-performance gym, to be used by tennis players, cricketers and other athletes.

Canopies would be built over the arena's two outer courts, allowing them to be used for training all year round.

The works would increase Memorial Drive's capacity to 7000 and provide a stronger base for the State's National Tennis Academy, home to 40 promising youngsters aged 10 to 16.

Tennis SA has approached Tennis Australia and the State Government about a possible joint funding agreement.

Mr MacDonald hoped to complete the revamp over the next three to five years, subject to funding.

"We are just trying to make sure we stay with the times,'' he told the City Messenger.

"It would give us the chance to attract significant Davis Cup ties and keep us on track to produce international athletes, not only for tennis but for cricket and other sports. We want to give kids the best chance to make it.''

Mr MacDonald said it was "getting tougher'' for Adelaide to attract tennis tournaments, with Melbourne and Sydney already well served with arenas, and plans for new $100 million and $60 million arenas in Brisbane and Perth.

Adelaide-based tennis commentator Roger Rasheed, once coach to former world number one player Lleyton Hewitt, welcomed the plan.

"(Memorial Drive) was state of the art years ago but it needs to be brought up to speed,'' Rasheed said. "From a SA perspective, we've always been at the top end of producing players. Tennis is a major sport and so many young kids play, so you have got to have the right facilities.''

[Brando]

Mr MacDonald said it was "getting tougher'' for Adelaide to attract tennis tournaments, with Melbourne and Sydney already well served with arenas, and plans for new $100 million and $60 million arenas in Brisbane and Perth.

Typical Adelaide response. We are losing events and being outdone by other capital cties and the best they can come up with is to spend $15 million.

Just another half baked attempt to stay in the game rather than exceed ahead.

[Ho Really]

Mr MacDonald said it was "getting tougher'' for Adelaide to attract tennis tournaments, with Melbourne and Sydney already well served with arenas, and plans for new $100 million and $60 million arenas in Brisbane and Perth.

Typical Adelaide response. We are losing events and being outdone by other capital cties and the best they can come up with is to spend $15 million.

Just another half baked attempt to stay in the game rather than exceed ahead.

I agree. This stadium had so much potential, that it should have been revamped, rebuilt (or whatever) years ago. That way we would not have lost the second oldest tennis tournament in the world.

Cheers

[Ho Really]

...Tennis SA's plan includes a new 500-seat western stand, with club and conference rooms.

The north stand would get a new roof, a 1500-seat second tier and a high-performance gym, to be used by tennis players, cricketers and other athletes...

Isn't the northern stand heritage listed? Are we going to hear outcries over the revamping of this stand to two tier? What about an eastern stand and a lightweight roof? Come on guys, if you are serious about attracting tennis back to SA get with the music!

Cheers

[AtD]

Can a moderator please merge?
http://www.sensational-adelaide.com/for ... f=7&t=1433

[Wayno]

anyone heard any recent news on the torrens footbridge?

[Alyx]

A final design for the planned River Torrens footbridge has been revealed by the SA Government.

The $40 million bridge will be about 150 metres long and up to 10 metres wide.

There will be a waterfall feature on the northern side of the river.

The bridge will link the city riverfront precinct with an upgraded Adelaide Oval.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-07-05/t ... section=sa

[Waewick]

yike

it looks like something out of the 1950's

[UrbanSG]

This is not the final bridge design. It's about finalising the actual position of the bridge not its appearance.

[rogue]

Where is the creativity and ambitious design?

[Pants]

This is not the final bridge design. It's about finalising the actual position of the bridge not its appearance.

I hope you're right mate, but why would they go to the trouble of designing a water feature if this was all about positioning?

[Pants]

This is not the final bridge design. It's about finalising the actual position of the bridge not its appearance.

I hope you're right mate, but why would they go to the trouble of designing a water feature if this was all about positioning?

Thankfully, it look like you are right:

Torrens footbridge design unveiled
Political Reporter Daniel Wills
July 05, 2012 11:56AM
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FINAL draft designs for the River Torrens footbridge, which will take punters from the southern bank to the redeveloped Adelaide Oval, have been revealed today by the State Government.

After more than two years of debate over the final design, plans show a curved structure looping from west of Dunstan Playhouse to an entrance at the Oval's southern gate.

War Memorial Dr will have to be closed on match days to allow fans to enter the stadium.

Football is slated to return the city in 2014.

The footbridge is being paid for out of about $400 million in funding allocated to a redevelopment of the Adelaide Convention Centre before to the 2010 election.

The $575 million Oval redevelopment is well under way, with all but demolition works completed.

Acting Premier John Rau said the footbridge would provide the crucial pedestrian link between the Riverbank and oval.

"It will bring us another step closer to delivering the kind of city centre South Australians deserve, where people can come into the CBD, watch a game of football or cricket, or just enjoy the Riverbank Precinct that will come alive with shops, restaurants and public spaces," he said.

"This bridge will span from the hub of the city's public transport, through to the redeveloped Adelaide Oval - which will come alive when football returns to the city."

Under the draft plan, the bridge will include a landing point that creates an extended plaza area, linked on event days to the redeveloped southern entrance of the Adelaide Oval via the closure of War Memorial Drive.

It will have a southern landing point directly west of the Dunstan Playhouse at the level of the Adelaide Railway Station concourse.

Mr Rau said the bridge would follow a sweeping arc across the river, with the two landing points leading to landscaped terraces on the riverfront with a waterfall a key feature of the northern side.

The footbridge will be about 150m long and 8-10m wide.

Infrastructure Minister Patrick Conlon said the State Government had committed $40m to the project and would now seek feedback from precinct stakeholders and the public.

Construction is to start early next year.

"We believe we have a very elegant and sophisticated initial design for a footbridge and over the next few months we will be talking to all stakeholders in the area and seeking the input of all South Australians as we get ready to build a wonderful link to our redeveloped city stadium," he said.

A consortium led by engineering firm Aurecon and comprising designers Taylor Cullity Lethlean and architects Tonkin Zulaihka Greer has been appointed to finalise the design of the footbridge.

[Waewick]

This is not the final bridge design. It's about finalising the actual position of the bridge not its appearance.

must read end of article......

[Nathan]

[Nathan]

Images are from here, where you can leave feedback: http://dpti.sa.gov.au/infrastructure/ma ... e_feedback

The first concept images of the Adelaide Oval footbridge have been released following the appointment of an award winning consortium to finalise design of the city’s newest landmark.

The successful design follows a sweeping arc across the river with the two landing points transitioning to a landscaped terrace with a signature waterfall a key feature of the northern section. It comes following work to understand the local Aboriginal heritage and ecology of the site.

A consortium led by engineering firm Aurecon and comprising designers Taylor Cullity Lethlean and architects Tonkin Zulaihka Greer has been appointed to finalise design of the footbridge.

Approximately 150 metres in length and spanning 8-10 metres wide, the bridge will launch from directly west of the Dunstan Playhouse at the level of the Adelaide Railway Station concourse. The northern landing point will create an extended plaza area linked on event days to the redeveloped southern entrance of the Adelaide Oval via the closure of War Memorial Drive.

Over the next 18 months the design will be refined following detailed consultation with the Adelaide City Council and Adelaide Festival Centre.

Construction is expected to begin on the $40 million footbridge early next year.

Please let us know what you think of the new design using the comments form below