[COM] Victoria Park Redevelopment

[Nathan]

That entity could be described as one of the world's great urban parks, on a par with Central Park in New York or London's great urban parks.

It could be, but certainly not in it's current state. I agree, the focus should be on bringing it up as a fantastic urban park, all the way around. Rundle, Rymill and Botanic Parks are ok (though not amazing), but the rest is unappealing scrub land. We have the space and location nailed, but maybe we need to look at how other cities with outstanding city parks do it, to get an idea on how to approach the content so to speak.

I think the park lands trail they're working on is a good start, with a circuit all the way around the city, but that also lacks anything interesting to actually jog or ride past. The loop around Tokyo's imperial palace is great (even if you disregard the palace grounds inside).

Obviously the big issue is money. The population of the CBD isn't very high, and none of the neighbouring councils (who also adjoin the parklands and benefit from them) contribute 1c towards helping. Something needs to budge there. Maybe by encouraging denser/higher/better development facing the parklands (pie crust effect or not) it will increase demand and incentive to actually improve the parklands they face.

[iTouch]

The thing is, it's not really a belt of parklands surrounding the cbd in the first place. It's moreso a belt of ovals and sporting grounds that few use

[monotonehell]

Just for shits and giggles let's compare the two...

Code: Select all

                Adel Parklands  Central Park
Area(km^2)      7.6             3.1
National Heritage status
                Yes             Yes
Water bodies    5               7
Rivers          1(sorta)        0
Zoo             Yes(pandas!)    Yes
Art museum      1               2
NH museum       1               1
High Schools    1               0
Universities    2               0
Libraries       2               0
Prisons         1(historic)     1(still in use)
Convention centre
                Yes             No
Walking tracks  Yes             Yes
Bridle Paths    Yes             Yes
Ice skating rinks
                0               2
Swimming pool
                1 Indoors       1 outdoors July & Aug only
Golf links      Yes             No
Theatre         Yes             Only outdoors
Castle          No              Yes
Carousel        No              Yes
Playgrounds     Many            Many
Restaurant      Yes             Yes
Row/paddleboats Yes             Yes
Sportsfields    Many (marked)  Several (informal only)
Stadia
                Adel Oval       None
                Memorial drive
Rock climbing   No              Yes
Rowing clubs    Several         None
Botanic gardens Yes             Yes
Indoor rainforest
                Yes             Yes
Concerts and other events
                Yes             Yes
Motorsports circuit
                Yes             No
Grass, trees 'n shit?
                Yes             Yes
Established landscaping
                20%             100%
Ducks           Yes             Yes
Squirrels       No              Yes
Possums         Yes             No
Homeless people Yes             Yes

According to that, awarding a point for each thing, Adelaide comes out on top by 7 points.

[crawf]

Wow Central Park has a prison in use?

It would be cool if we had a temporary ice rink set up in Rundle Park.. would be a nice little tourist attraction for the miserable winter period

[ozisnowman]

Trying to compare Central Park with our Parklands is like comparing diamonds with unpolished opals.
NYC Central Park is a park ours is a mere bushland with a few smallish parks here and there.

[iTouch]

It's official.
Adelaide Parklands NEEDS squirrels AND rock climbing. Or better yet, rock climbing squirrels

Alert the press

[Waewick]

don't foorget the street vendors

mmmmm New York hotdog, or the donuts whatever

[SRW]

entirely ignoring the potential of the site as part of a globally-considered Park Lands.

He means the Park Lands ought be considered as a whole (ie, globally). That's true.

To an extent, the Park Lands are already treated as an entity, under the Adelaide Park Lands Authority. This is a worthy body, but it is feeble without an agreed Master Plan to work towards. Thankfully, this is in the works, though sadly without much public involvement thus far.

[monotonehell]

Trying to compare Central Park with our Parklands is like comparing diamonds with unpolished opals.
NYC Central Park is a park ours is a mere bushland with a few smallish parks here and there.

How can you say that after reading the carefully researched table I posted? HEY HOW???!!!!

But seriously; the main difference between the two is over there they have money and water. Other than the fact that Central Park is in the middle of Manhattan of course. When you take out the impossible differences of location and scale, in terms of amenities (things for people to actually do) we aren't that far apart. We just suffer from under-funding which causes rough edges.

I think you guys are too harsh on the Parklands. There's challenges to landscaping, but in terms of use pretty much every part is being used. It's just that most people don't see that use because they aren't on the ground at the right times and all they see with their blinkers on is "scrub lands". You'd realise that it's not the reality, if you spend some time amongst them.

[Nathan]

You don't need blinkers to just see "scrub land". Rough edges is putting it mildly.

When I lived on Halifax St (a year ago), I'd often ride around the South and East parklands. When there wasn't any kids sport on, on the ovals, there was nothing.
I also have a view over Rundle Park all day long from the studio, and given that's one of the best areas of the parklands, it's never particularly busy (except when the Garden is there). A quick glance out the window right now gives a head count of 1.

[monotonehell]

You don't need blinkers to just see "scrub land". Rough edges is putting it mildly.

When I lived on Halifax St (a year ago), I'd often ride around the South and East parklands. When there wasn't any kids sport on, on the ovals, there was nothing.
I also have a view over Rundle Park all day long from the studio, and given that's one of the best areas of the parklands, it's never particularly busy (except when the Garden is there). A quick glance out the window right now gives a head count of 1.

Today's a rainy day.

How about when there's something happening? Like The Garden you mention, Cheese Fest, or any number of other fests that occur there? Or just on a sunny day, unlike today, when some of the uni students spill out onto there?

Again, blinkered thinking.

I used to live at the Southern end of Hutt Street (*sobs* miss it). I was a consultant so I didn't have a 9-5 job. I could and did venture out at all times of day. There was always something on. When the kids from Pulteney Grammar weren't playing football, soccer, baseball, basketball, hockey (and I'm talking about organised competitions here with other teams from other organisations) there were the adult amateur soccer teams and others having a go. Further west there's a hotbed of netball, especially on weekends.

There was always people enjoying Veal Gardens during the day. Especially on the weekends. The running tracks up around Victoria Park were often used in the mornings by fitness types. Most of the playing fields were claimed by one group or another.

[Nathan]

Yes, today is a rainy day. Believe me, it doesn't make a big difference. Even on a sunny day I can count the number of people in Rundle Park on my fingers. Uni students do not spill out on to there.

Obviously if there's a special event organised on the space, people go there. But on a normal day, rain or shine, it's hardly a magnet for people. And if that's what Rundle Park is like, I'm sure you can imagine what the rest of the parklands are like.

[Wayno]

Yes, today is a rainy day. Believe me, it doesn't make a big difference. Even on a sunny day I can count the number of people in Rundle Park on my fingers. Uni students do not spill out on to there.

Obviously if there's a special event organised on the space, people go there. But on a normal day, rain or shine, it's hardly a magnet for people. And if that's what Rundle Park is like, I'm sure you can imagine what the rest of the parklands are like.

i'd hazard a guess that 500+ people are in the park lands each weekend. Soccer, footy/cricket, lacrosse, tennis, netball, petanque, cycling, jogging, pedal prix, walking the dog, throwing a frisbee - all without any major events occurring.

Now, i agree that things could be better, much better in fact, but please get your facts straight.

That being said, i wonder who has the detailed facts? surely there are park land usage statistics?

[Waewick]

I think it is also important to consider the future here

we are trying to get a level of living in the city, those people need space to play & live

whilst the parklands maybe under utilised now (if they are) but in the future they will be very important

that is why you can't compare Adelaide Parklands with Central Park

you have 20k residents living in the area + the burbs

in Ny you have what 8m + tourists + the burbs

a significant difference and I would suggest if the roles were reversed our parklands would be something similar to that of NY.

[Nathan]

Yes, today is a rainy day. Believe me, it doesn't make a big difference. Even on a sunny day I can count the number of people in Rundle Park on my fingers. Uni students do not spill out on to there.

Obviously if there's a special event organised on the space, people go there. But on a normal day, rain or shine, it's hardly a magnet for people. And if that's what Rundle Park is like, I'm sure you can imagine what the rest of the parklands are like.

i'd hazard a guess that 500+ people are in the park lands each weekend. Soccer, footy/cricket, lacrosse, tennis, netball, petanque, cycling, jogging, pedal prix, walking the dog, throwing a frisbee - all without any major events occurring.

Now, i agree that things could be better, much better in fact, but please get your facts straight.

That being said, i wonder who has the detailed facts? surely there are park land usage statistics?

I obviously don't have hard facts, I'm only speaking on what I observe every weekday from my window. And 500 isn't really a lot of people over a weekend.