[COM] Memorial Drive upgrade

[rev]

There's plenty of room at Memorial Drive for a new indoor arena. People just need to think beyond demolishing an old stadium and rebuilding on top of it.
Next Gen Gym, the outdoor courts next to it. They can all be demolished, and a new indoor arena built there.
There's nothing saying that War Memorial Drive needs to remain a public road between Montefiore & King William roads.
There's nothing saying that an indoor arena can't be built on where that road sits and over Pinkys Flat.

[Goodsy]

There's an abundance of room

[Ho Really]

Why would we split up the potential CBD sports precinct by moving the Tennis out to what is effectively the middle of nowhere as far as public transport and hospitality/retail is concerned instead of moving the Netball to Memorial Drive?

As far as I'm concerned, there is a lack of room to expand the tennis centre at its current site.

There's plenty of room. Both grandstands (not sure if one is heritage listed) should be knocked down and replaced with a rectangular stadium similar to Rod Laver Arena with a capacity of approxiumately 10,000 seats. Good enough for tennis, basketball, international netball, volleyball and other court sports. So in fact a multi-purpose stadium.

Furthermore, the current netball centre is also a large site, which includes 26 outdoor courts, so the space at Memorial Drive is not large enough for netball.

In another thread I mentioned Priceline would be great for a new rectangular soccer stadium with Hindmarsh (Coopers) Stadium sold off for housing. However since SA Netball have their offices there including many outdoor courts it would be very difficult for them to move. Yes, it would be perfect for soccer in a prime location but I think there are still options if this route isn’t taken. Perhaps if any land becomes available south of this current location, somehwere near The Advertiser printshop or better still at the police barracks on Port Road if they should ever move. Keswick Army Barracks also could be a prime location if it becomes a TOD.

Memorial Drive could also be one of the sites for an indoor arena, which, together with the space needed to move spectators around, can result in a potential loss of tennis courts.

No need to remove any outside tennis courts. Tennis will remain the number one sport at this location outside the main arena.

However, an indoor arena is the best fit for Memorial Drive in my opinion. This is because areas that are easily accessible to public transport such as Memorial Drive need to be developed in a way that attract and benefit more people year round. Not everyone plays tennis or netball, and thus those facilities may only benefit those who play those sports, whilst an indoor arena at Memorial Drive will benefit more people, given more sports and concerts can be hosted at the indoor arena, and is an appropriate site to host large numbers of people. Utilisation of space and accessibility to public transport goes hand in hand.

Yes, Memorial Drive is in the best spot. Close to all types of public transport that can be expanded. Concerts will still be held at Adelaide Oval and the Entertainment Centre with the option of Memorial Drive.

The new tennis centre in Mile End has great potential as it will be close to a future train station at Keswick, which could be built as part of an Adelaide underground rail project.

No need for a new tennis centre at Mile End or Keswick. Tennis is not the biggest drawcard. Remember there will only be one or two major tournaments played before the Australian Open in Melbourne. Basketball, netball and concerts will draw more people year round. The SA Government (Liberal/Labour) and DPTI should pull their fingers out and seriously get their act together to plan not one rail line through the CBD but at least two, perhaps three over the next 20 years. A single line as already envisaged (many here call it loop which it isn’t) won’t do much. Remember, sporting venues are not the only places where good public transport access is required.

Any future redevelopment of the netball arena at its current site to increase capacity could be designed in a way to accommodate tennis, therefore increasing the arena's utilisation. And the site bordering Sir John Bradman Dr, Railway Tce, Richmond Rd and the railway line, which contains the tennis and netball centre, could be developed into a major international sports hub for Adelaide with a number of other sports, including swimming, diving, basketball, volleyball, badminton, table tennis, gymnastics, hockey, rugby and soccer to be located there as well. Once urban renewal at surrounding sites start to kick in, there's the potential for this site to be close to future hospitality and retail precincts as well.

Of course you are looking at this from the perspective of an Olympic Games bid. All good and I admire that. Adelaide should look at aiming big, but we also need to be realistic and practical. I’m not a fan of the Commonwealth Games. I think they’ll be a waste of time. They won’t attract enough world interest to take us to the next level, however I cannot go against the grain as most in SA will back this. If we do go ahead with a Commonwealth Games we need to start planning now and get the infrastructure down as soon as possible.

Minor indoor sports with one-off events (badminton, volleyball, korfball, table tennis, etc.) can all be catered for at Memorial Drive, a revamped Priceline, Titanium or even the Entertainment Centre. Out door sports like rugby and soccer need a rectangular stadium. Gymnastics are already catered for at the Entertainment Centre, like indoor motocross and those types of events. Field hockey already have their own centre at Pooraka. Swimming and aquatic sports are at Marion and you won’t move them from there.

I agree the area around Mile End and Keswick have a lot of potential. I’ve already mentioned this years ago and in one of your other posts. Sport is not the only thing that can drive renewal.

Cheers

[Ho Really]

There's plenty of room at Memorial Drive for a new indoor arena. People just need to think beyond demolishing an old stadium and rebuilding on top of it.
Next Gen Gym, the outdoor courts next to it. They can all be demolished, and a new indoor arena built there.
There's nothing saying that War Memorial Drive needs to remain a public road between Montefiore & King William roads.
There's nothing saying that an indoor arena can't be built on where that road sits and over Pinkys Flat.

Next Gen would be great if it was demolished. I know you like this to happen. You've mentioned it many times. But, will it happen?

War Memorial Drive could easily be pedestrian only with car access only from Montefiore Hill Road to the Next Gen carpark. This carpark ideally should be built underground under a future Memorial Drive Arena redevelopment.

We've also mentioned in the past a tram line along here. I'm not sure if that is required anymore.

Don't think they'll build over Pinky's Flat. The more green we have the better.

There's an abundance of room

[...see map posted by Goodsy]

Sure there is if you get rid of the tennis courts and cricket practice oval and nets. I doubt very much this will happen. To be honest it is not required.

Cheers

[Goodsy]

There's plenty of room at Memorial Drive for a new indoor arena. People just need to think beyond demolishing an old stadium and rebuilding on top of it.
Next Gen Gym, the outdoor courts next to it. They can all be demolished, and a new indoor arena built there.
There's nothing saying that War Memorial Drive needs to remain a public road between Montefiore & King William roads.
There's nothing saying that an indoor arena can't be built on where that road sits and over Pinkys Flat.

Next Gen would be great if it was demolished. I know you like this to happen. You've mentioned it many times. But, will it happen?

War Memorial Drive could easily be pedestrian only with car access only from Montefiore Hill Road to the Next Gen carpark. This carpark ideally should be built underground under a future Memorial Drive Arena redevelopment.

We've also mentioned in the past a tram line along here. I'm not sure if that is required anymore.

Don't think they'll build over Pinky's Flat. The more green we have the better.

There's an abundance of room

[...see map posted by Goodsy]

Sure there is if you get rid of the tennis courts and cricket practice oval and nets. I doubt very much this will happen. To be honest it is not required.

Cheers

Why would you need to get rid of them... Things just need to be moved around

[Ho Really]

Why would you need to get rid of them... Things just need to be moved around

What do you want this land to be used for? Be specific.

Cheers

[NTRabbit]

Plenty of room to build a multipurpose centre court arena over the current grandstand, two show courts plus visitor amenities over Next Gen, and then leave the rest as they've been developing it, with no need to build over pinky flat. Though, I can see the advantages in closing Memorial Drive to traffic, and just leaving it as an electronic bollard protected access road for emergency vehicles and the like to reach <sponsor> Plaza and the southern ramp under Adelaide Oval.

[Goodsy]

Why would you need to get rid of them... Things just need to be moved around

What do you want this land to be used for? Be specific.

Cheers

Uhh.. A multipurpose stadium, the thing we're discussing

[NTRabbit]

Why would you need to get rid of them... Things just need to be moved around

What do you want this land to be used for? Be specific.

Cheers

Uhh.. A multipurpose stadium, the thing we're discussing

There's two different multipurpose stadiums in this discussion - one that is a tennis centre court but also for basketball and netball, and one that is a rectangular stadium for soccer and rugby. There's no such thing as a multipurpose stadium that can house all of them.

The tennis one fits just fine without needing to go over the road onto pinky flat. The soccer/rugby one can't go there because evicting Tennis SA should not be part of this.

[Ho Really]

Why would you need to get rid of them... Things just need to be moved around

What do you want this land to be used for? Be specific.

Cheers

Uhh.. A multipurpose stadium, the thing we're discussing

Yes a multi-purpose stadium or arena (whatever you want to call it) where the current Memorial Drive tennis stadium is. My question was relating to your map and all the area within the boundary that encompasses NextGen, the outdoor swimming pool, tennis courts, practice cricket oval and cricket nets. What do you want to build there?

On the current Memorial Drive tennis stadium site there's plenty of room to build a good sized arena for sports played on a small court, like: tennis, basketball, netball, volleyball, handball (the Olympic sport), korfball (a type of netball), roller hockey, badminton, table tennis, etc. No extra land is required.

A football (soccer stadium) can only be incorporated in this parcel of land if NextGen and all the tennis courts, etc., are demolished and built over. But even then you are trying to squeeze in too much. A 30-40,000 seat rectangular stadium also needs concourses for safety and that won't fit in. Is it worth building another stadium on this land? No.

Pinky Flat as suggested by rev, will never get an approval. So extending it over War Memorial Drive into parklands won’t do.

Cheers

[rev]

The whole area needs to be looked at as one precinct not as individual projects. From Montefiore Road to Pennington Tce to Frome Road/War Memorial Drive on the eastern side and to the southern side of the Torrens- elder park & the boat house and restaraunt, and Torrens Parade Ground.

On the one side of the river you'd have your stadiums and large public plaza/landscaped areas. On the other side, with a second footbridge, you'd have eateries & bars, maybe some other venues of some entertainment value, and a properly landscaped/plaza area running along the Torrens that actually resembles a big city not a backwater town on the Murray, so that people are drawn to the area throughout the week and throughout the year regardless of whether there is a match or other major event at the stadiums.

But I guess grass and trees are far more important, because they bring in soo much money and visitors. I know when I drive past the parklands, I'm in awe of waves of tourists waiting to cross the road to get to them.

[NTRabbit]

The whole area needs to be looked at as one precinct not as individual projects. From Montefiore Road to Pennington Tce to Frome Road/War Memorial Drive on the eastern side and to the southern side of the Torrens- elder park & the boat house and restaraunt, and Torrens Parade Ground.

On the one side of the river you'd have your stadiums and large public plaza/landscaped areas. On the other side, with a second footbridge, you'd have eateries & bars, maybe some other venues of some entertainment value, and a properly landscaped/plaza area running along the Torrens that actually resembles a big city not a backwater town on the Murray, so that people are drawn to the area throughout the week and throughout the year regardless of whether there is a match or other major event at the stadiums.

But I guess grass and trees are far more important, because they bring in soo much money and visitors. I know when I drive past the parklands, I'm in awe of waves of tourists waiting to cross the road to get to them.

Why would you build over pinky flat when the new Tennis arena and show courts simply don't need to be extended over there though? They easily fit without crossing Memorial Drive. A soccer stadium there isn't going to happen anyway, so there's no point in trying to push it, and the people trying to claim they can make a one sizes fits all stadium to host everything roughly rectangular from soccer down to tennis are detached from reality.

The whole area does need to be looked at as a precinct certainly, but there's simply no room between Montefiore, King William, and the Torrens to stick a multipurpose rectangular stadium without demolishing all of their courts and kicking tennis out of the CBD completely - it can only fit on the parade ground (not an option), on the golf course (an option, but it'll take a fight), or over the rail yards (no fight, but lots of money).

[EBG]

There are some large steel roof trusses on site waiting to be lifted into place. These cover the whole length of the courts. picture 6/9/2019.

[SBD]

There are some large steel roof trusses on site waiting to be lifted into place. These cover the whole length of the courts. picture 6/9/2019.

These trusses were mentioned on ABC radio sometime in the last week. They took a number of hours to get delivered by road from Edinburgh in the small hours of the morning. There are more to come in the next few weeks I think.

[AndyWelsh]

From today

Post in the corner presumably to hold up roof?





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