Sensational-Adelaide.com

Just build it wrote:Big nights at the DAP then. Mulled over the removal of a few trees, knocked back someone's floorplan variation, approved an extension for the Lion Hotel (probs to wedge in more pokies) and then slammed a multi-million dollar 22 level apartment project. Why? Because it exceeds and doesn't match the visual mediocrity of it's neighbours and will add to traffic congestion in a location with ghost town like qualities outside of business hours.

The ACC in all it's faded glory...still clutching for some authority on developments of consequence. How embarrassing.

PLANS to close Rundle St to traffic over summer could drive customers away from the strip and cause sales to plummet, some East End traders say.

The East End Co-Ordination Group has been granted City Council approval to close Rundle St East to traffic for buskers, live music, poetry recitals and mobile food vans each Friday night from December 2 to January 27.

But some traders fear moves to close the road from 4pm will see a repeat of the failed Rundle St Market which was held on Sundays from 2007.

The council eventually gave in to traders concerns and scrapped the beleaguered Sunday market this year.

Many traders contacted by the City Messenger this week had not been told of the latest plans, which also include closing Ebenezer Place to traffic for a night market and to project movies onto the laneway’s walls.

Naked store manager Donna Fragnito was concerned the project would hurt trade, similar to the Rundle St Market.

“It is something we relay to the council constantly that closing the street off to traffic is something that affects business,” Ms Fragnito said.

“If they want to bring people to the city, they should offer free car parking.”

East End Cellars owner Michael Andrewartha said the road closures should be restricted to a smaller stretch of Rundle St.

“Street closures never work for my business, they work as a negative,” Mr Andrewartha said.

“I would like to see them condense it and make it a little more compact and maybe not take up the full stretch of Rundle St.”

Cherri Bellini owner Rosemarie Farrugia said the council had a track record of going ahead with plans regardless of traders’ opinions.

“When the council wants to do something, they are going to do it,” Ms Farrugia said.

“If it doesn’t work, they should scrap it immediately.”

But Gelatissimo owner Joe Calava said the initiative would boost business.

“It will generate a lot more people down Rundle St which is needed at the moment,” Mr Calava said.

Dangerfield store manager Jayd Burns agreed: “At the moment, Rundle St has been quite quiet compared to normal so doing something a bit different on a Friday night might draw more people down.”

East End Co-Ordination Group spokeswoman Julie Wrobel said the Friday night activities would be very different from the former Rundle St Market.

“It is a lot more of an open event, we won’t be having stalls on Rundle St and we are not inviting people that will be selling goods, except for the Ebenezer Place markets,” Ms Wrobel said.

Lord Mayor Stephen Yarwood said traders could not compare the trial with the failed market as it was “a different proposition”.

“If they are looking to go to other locations other than Rundle Mall, would they consider the Flinders Ranges?,” Mr Haese said.

Naked store manager Donna Fragnito was concerned the project would hurt trade, similar to the Rundle St Market.

Feed the birds and you risk a $125 fine
by: Ken McGregor From: The Advertiser December 15, 2011 12:00am
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/feed-the- ... 6222320458

THROW a bird a chip in Rundle Mall and you could be fined $125 under laws brought in by Adelaide City Council.

That's double the amount for smoking.

The by-law means that anybody in the CBD's numerous pedestrian malls, or within the vicinity of the malls, could be hit with the fine if caught feeding the birds.

Rundle Mall Management Authority chairman Theo Maras said he supported the penalty because public health was at stake.

"The birds come often to be fed. As far as I am concerned, having regard to public health, I have absolutely no problem with it," he said.

He said it was fair to threaten people with a $125 fine if they chose to ignore the law.

"Every fine that says don't do something should be a hefty one," he said.

"If you fine someone $50, say, for littering, they do not really care and do it to spite of the law.

"There are good grounds for prohibition. The fine is a fair one."

Georgia Hawkins and Adi Scott yesterday said they had no idea they could be fined for feeding the array of birds that call Rundle Mall their home.

"We have never thought you could be fined for that," Ms Hawkins said.

"There are other things worse than that for which you would get fined a lot less."

Ebony Miller, who has travelled to Adelaide to help treat her sick son, said the penalty was ridiculous.

"Seeing the birds being fed is the one thing that has calmed my son today - he loves it, it's a positive thing," she said.

Peter Tang, who feeds the birds bread in Rundle Mall almost every day, said he was completely unaware of the by-law.

"I do not put too much bread, only what they can eat because I do not want it to cause a mess," he said.

An Adelaide City Council spokeswoman said it was yet to issue a fine under the law.

"No one has been expiated for this as usually when the offender is advised that this is an offence, they cease," she said.

Holdfast Bay City Council Mayor Ken Rollond said there would be a massive reaction from the public if such laws were brought in for the Glenelg precinct.

"So many people enjoy feeding them," he said

Breathe and you risk a $125 fine

SUCK in Oxygen in Rundle Mall and you could be fined $125 under laws brought in by Adelaide City Council.

That's double the amount for smoking.

The by-law means that anybody in the CBD's numerous pedestrian malls, or within the vicinity of the malls, could be hit with the fine if caught breathing.

Rundle Mall Management Authority chairman Theo Maras said he supported the penalty because public health was at stake.

"People come often to shop. As far as I am concerned, having regard to public health, I have absolutely no problem with it," he said.

He said it was fair to threaten people with a $125 fine if they chose to ignore the law.

"Every fine that says don't do something should be a hefty one," he said.

"If you fine someone $50, say, for littering, they do not really care and do it to spite of the law.

"There are good grounds for prohibition. The fine is a fair one."

Georgia Hawkins and Adi Scott yesterday said they had no idea they could be fined for breathing in Rundle Mall.

"We have never thought you could be fined for that," Ms Hawkins said.

"There are other things worse than that for which you would get fined a lot less."

Ebony Miller, who has travelled to Adelaide to help treat her sick son, said the penalty was ridiculous.

"Breathing in the mall is the one thing that has calmed my son today - he loves it, it's a positive thing," she said.

Peter Tang, who breathes in Rundle Mall almost every day, said he was completely unaware of the by-law.

"I do not breathe too much, because I do not want it to cause a mess," he said.

An Adelaide City Council spokeswoman said it was yet to issue a fine under the law.

"No one has been expiated for this as usually when the offender is advised that this is an offence, they cease," she said.

Holdfast Bay City Council Mayor Ken Rollond said there would be a massive reaction from the public if such laws were brought in for the Glenelg precinct.

"So many people enjoy breathing" he said

UrbanSG wrote:
I still can't believe the state of the old bus station site on Franklin Street. What was the point in upgrading the old station just to walk out and see the nightmare that is directly west of the new station. Is it seriously that difficult to weed the area between the Bicycle SA building and the footpath!!! The dead weeds are now metres high.

Council should be setting and example here, expecting others to maintain their properties and leaving this site in this state is hypocritical to say the least. When I walked past the site yesterday I felt like I wasn't even in the city, it's embarrassing. Other tourists in the area looked surprised as well. Almost tumble weeds rolling past. This is prime CBD land! Still no updates on the Urban Construct project which doesn't even seem to be a project anymore either?

Square needs $10m deposit Council
15 Dec 11 @ 07:30am by Alice Higgins

The $100 million Victoria Square redevelopment needs $10 million in government funding before the first sod can be turned - the latest roadblock in the long-awaited overhaul.

The City Council last week revealed it needs $10 million from the State or Federal governments before it can start work on Stage 1 of the project.

It wants to secure the funding to start work in 2012/13 - more than two years after a master plan to overhaul the square was unveiled.

But even if $10 million was secured - and added to the council’s $24 million contribution - the money would still fall $66 million short of the funds needed to complete the redevelopment.

Elected members last week deferred debate on whether to lobby the governments for the money but it is expected to go before the council again next month.

Central Market Traders Association president Franz Knoll did not believe the governments would pitch in.

“I am pretty sure no-one is going to be too interested in Vic Square,” Mr Knoll said.

“The State Government is scrambling to find money to do all the other things they have to do let alone allocate funds to the square.”

The City Messenger reported in June the council did not lodge a formal submission with the State Government for Vic Square funding before this year’s budget.

The council plans to launch a renewed bid for Federal funds this month after it failed to snatch money from rural communities for the project earlier this year (see side story).

Grote Business Precinct president Bill Marles called on the governments to commit the funds so the council could finally start upgrading the northern side of the square.

“It would give the public a chance to see something substantial happening and it would probably attract extra investment,” Mr Marles said.

“Money flows into projects when people see things happening.”

Acting Lord Mayor David Plumridge was confident the governments would help the council to get the project off the ground.

“Victoria Square is obviously a major urban regeneration project which the Federal Government is encouraging cities to do,” Cr Plumridge said.

“As far as the State (Government) is concerned, we would argue that Victoria Square is a popular place and a destination for people not just from the city but from the state, it is the centre of their city and it is appropriate they support it.

“Victoria Square was mentioned in the 30-year plan so there is every reason to expect they will cough up money.”

A spokesman for Treasurer Jack Snelling said the government was not considering funding the redevelopment.

A spokesman for Federal Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese did not respond to inquiries before presstime.

The council also was last week presented detailed designs of the project, which featured a range of changes to the 2010 master plan.

Changes included installing public toilets, moving the Three Rivers Fountain to the southern end of the square, removing the big screen, terracing part of the lawn with seating, steps and ramps and extending the tram platform.

Regional Development funding plan ditched
Town Hall will no longer seek to strip much-needed money from rural communities to fund the $100 million Victoria Square redevelopment.

The City Council planned to apply for money in round two of the Federal Government’s Regional Development Australia Fund (RDAF), which closed this month.

But a staff report presented at last week’s meeting said the criteria for the fund had been revised and the Victoria Square project was “no longer considered to be a contender”.

The City Messenger reported in July the council was pinning its upgrade hopes on funding set aside to help rural communities.

The council unsuccessfully applied for $25 million under the the first round of grants from the $1 billion RDAF fund in July.

The council’s bid to secure a slice of the money for Vic Square was criticised by regional mayors.

The council has now applied for a maximum $4 million share of the Federal Government’s Liveable Cities Program.

It is expected to learn if its application is successful next March.