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Seems the Bus Station site will not see any action for some time:

Type: Application Assessed on Merit
Application Number: DA/79/2009
Lodgement Date: 30/01/2009
Location: 111-129 Franklin Street, ADELAIDE SA 5000
Description: Temporary use of land for a Community Garden

Ben wrote:Seems the Bus Station site will not see any action for some time:

Type: Application Assessed on Merit
Application Number: DA/79/2009
Lodgement Date: 30/01/2009
Location: 111-129 Franklin Street, ADELAIDE SA 5000
Description: Temporary use of land for a Community Garden

I'd rather they use it as a carpark - That way people don't become too attached and protest demolition of the gardens if they do eventually decide to develop it.

nimeton wrote:I'd rather they use it as a carpark - That way people don't become too attached and protest demolition of the gardens if they do eventually decide to develop it.

You raise a very valid point.

Ben, it is possible (and I'm clutching at straws) that only part of the lot is being used as a garden while the rest will continue as planned...

Leave the community gardens for the burbs

Guess this will be for the low-income earners living in the bus station building?

AtD wrote:

nimeton wrote:I'd rather they use it as a carpark - That way people don't become too attached and protest demolition of the gardens if they do eventually decide to develop it.

You raise a very valid point.

Ben, it is possible (and I'm clutching at straws) that only part of the lot is being used as a garden while the rest will continue as planned...

Only the parklands hold a valid and viable argument in the 'green' debate. This is merely a temporary compromise to please those that may otherwise hold this site in disregard...

I rather like the garden idea - cities are full of hard edges, they benefit from a little softening.

crawf wrote:Leave the community gardens for the burbs

Actually, densely populated areas need community gardens more than the 'burbs do (you find more community gardens in NYC than in Dallas). Isn't having a yard one of the reasons that people live in a suburb? Perhaps we should consider some locations that would be suitable for a garden like this - what about one of the squares? Hurtle or Wright squares look like candidates.

Prince George wrote:Perhaps we should consider some locations that would be suitable for a garden like this - what about one of the squares? Hurtle or Wright squares look like candidates.

You mean Whitmore, surely? Despite some similarities, I'm sure Adelaide's not Savannah...

As for community gardens, the last we heard was that several sites were being looked at with the support of the Council. Whitmore Square was among those under consideration, but a deal was supposedly close to being finalised for a garden in the West Terrace Cemetery. Not sure if it's eventuated.

SRW, you beat me to it, I was putting that link in my post too

Seattle is full of community gardens. They are called "P patches" and they add to the city a great deal. Give people access to as varied an existence as possible and show that city living can provide your every need - a good way to attract as high and as varied a population to live in the city as possible, imo.

And, though I understand the worry that once a garden is in nothing else will ever happen on the site, I tend to think that a carpark is rarely ever a good use of land in a CBD. The car has long been identified by many urban thinkers here in the US as a major cause of downtown problems. I'm reading a really interesting book about the woes of American downtowns called, "Cities Back from the Edge" and it has a lot to say about cars and carparks:

"In small ways and large, people have been chased (from downtown) Traffic has been pampered (carparks pamper traffic) and pedestrians hindered/ But creating a "place" - a space to which human activity gravitates - is rarely a priority / a genuine public space should not need a consumer activity to draw people."

Who knows, the community garden could fill the role of a genuine public space. It could bring new life and activity and prove itself to be an aid to enlivening the city. It will almost surely bring more life than any car park or vacant lot could.

At Monday nights upcoming council meeting two of the confidential items involve this project. the good news is it looks like "The Loft" will be moving ahead on schedule later this year, however the remainder of the project is after an extension from what I understand.

16. Confidential Item
Item for consideration in Confidence - Balfours/Bus Station Redevelopment
Project Extension of Time Requests [C] (2002/03387-63)
Section 90 (3) (b) & (d) of the Local Government Act 1999

17. Recommendation Seeking the Exclusion of the Public from the Meeting
to Receive, Discuss or Consider a Confidential item

18. Confidential Item
Item for consideration in Confidence - Balfours/Bus Station Redevelopment
Project - Stage 2 Building 3 (The Loft) – Vendor Approval of Detailed Design
Scheme [C] (2002/03387-63)
Section 90 (3) (b) & (d) of the Local Government Act 1999

Another core rise this afternoon. Now appears to be same height as Gallery.

Pics taken today:





More crane sections on site:



Core creeping up into the skyline (far right):

Urban Construct sure dont waste any time; this has shot up since my last visit to the site whichw as back in January.

Great update too UrbanSG!

Cool, thanks for the photo update mate! Look forward to this one. Anyone know an estimated completion date?

I noticed this morning that a white climbing collar has been attached to the crane. At the rate the core is flying up (a floor a week) it won't be too long until the crane needs a growth spurt.

Crane rise occurring right now on this one.