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e-Gazette No. 007 -   October, 2015.    If this email doesn't look right, then:
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In this e-Gazette....

 

MINISTER CHALLENGED: "PLEASE EXPLAIN" NON-COMPLIANCE

The State Government Minister with responsibility for the Adelaide Park Lands, Ian Hunter, has been asked to explain why he hasn't ordered a report on returning the old Royal Adelaide Hospital site to Park Lands.
Section 23 of the Adelaide Park Lands Act 2005 requires a report to be prepared on how the site "no longer required" as a hospital could be returned to its original status as Park Lands.

Even though we've known for at least six years that the old RAH would be superseded as a hospital site, the Minister has not sought or published such a report.
Section 23 of the Adelaide Park Lands Act 2005. 
Why hasn't the Minister complied?
We'll let you know in next month's e-Gazette what the Minister has to say to APPA's challenge.

SUPPORT FROM COUNTRY COUNCILS FOR SAVING RYMILL PARK

COUNTRY councils are angry: they say the $160 million set aside for the planned massive O-Bahn trench through Rundle Park and Rymill Park would be better spent on rural roads, helping to save lives.

Eighteen councils have united, to call on the State Government to abandon the $160 million O-Bahn Park Lands-wrecking project and instead put the money to improving rural roads.

Led by Wattle Range Council in the south-east, the group of councils has written to Transport Minister Stephen Mullighan urging him to reallocate the O-Bahn project funding to upgrading roads outside Adelaide.

In other news on the O-Bahn project:
  • APPA has made a written submission to the Upper House 'Select Committee on the O-Bahn Access Project'.  APPA vice-president Damien Mugavin will be appearing before the Committee in person on Wednesday 21 October; and
     
  • the Adelaide City Council is going through a mandatory, 'public consultation' exercise about "opening" a section of road underground, and re-aligning this section of East Terrace.   The consultation period, required under the Roads (Opening and Closing) Act 1991, expires on the same day, 21 October.
Take a look at it, and say "goodbye".   This is where the O-Bahn will emerge from its roofed trench, to ground level.

MINISTER RAU GIVES "INFRASTRUCTURE" A LEG UP

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The Minister for Planning, John Rau has now officially opened the door for "sewerage works" and other "infrastructure" in the Park Lands. Despite 168 submissions opposing it, Minister Rau has unilaterally approved the 'Park Lands Zone Development Plan Amendment' which allows all sorts of infrastructure (explicitly including "sewerage works") in the Park Lands. He's opened up the floodgates and now building can begin. Now, our only hoping of saving Park Lands from rampant bulldozers is if the ERD Committee tells the Minister to think again.....

Please email these six members of Parliament and tell them that our Park Lands are more important than one man's ambition:
* Tom Kenyon (presiding member) newland@parliament.sa.gov.au
* Steven Griffiths: goyder@parliament.sa.gov.au
* Eddie Hughes giles@parliament.sa.gov.au
* Michelle Lensink MLC Michelle.Lensink@parliament.sa.gov.au
* Tung Ngo MLC tung.mlc@parliament.sa.gov.au
* Mark Parnell MLC parnell@parliament.sa.gov.au

Back on 28 July, the Adelaide City Council was one of the many groups (along with APPA) raising concern about these "infrastructure" proposals with the Minister's 'Development Policy Advisory Committee'. 

However, the Minister decided on 17 September, to ignore the concerns expressed by the Council, APPA and many others.

That has left the Council concerned about the future of the Park Lands, and heritage buildings in Adelaide, as reported on 8 October by 'Adelaide Now'.

This story also made national news in The Australian on 29 September, in a story headed: "Developments in Adelaide Parklands made easier under State Government changes".
On Thursday 15 October, APPA President Ian Gilfillan, and vice-president Damien Mugavin both appeared before State Parliament's Environment, Resources and Development Committee, arguing the case that the pro-"infrastructure" Development Plan amendment would pose serious long-term risks for the future of the Park Lands.

We are awaiting the Committee's decision.

WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT IT?

It's not too late to sign our petition:

https://www.change.org/p/sa-premier-jay-weatherill-stop-trying-to-sell-off-or-build-over-the-adelaide-park-lands

If you have already signed, have you told your friends about it? 

If you do nothing else, at least forward this email newsletter to your friends and urge them to sign!
 

WOULD WE SELL OFF OUR BEACHES?

Some beaches in the United States are off-limits to the public, with signs like this one.
President Ian Gilfillan and other members of the APPA Committee met the Members of Adelaide City Council recently, and asked the Councillors to consider a comparison between the way we think of our beaches, and the way we think of our Park Lands.

As Ian Gilfillan put it:  "In Australia, the beach is nearly always open to the public, for free use and enjoyment. Councils have an obligation to care and protect this cherished public land."

Every Australian regards it as a right to walk along and enjoy the beach.  Imagine the outcry if stretches of sand were annexed off and reserved for paying customers, built over, or given away to special interests.

Yet this is what happens regularly to the Adelaide Park Lands.
The Adelaide Park Lands Act 2005 establishes the Adelaide Park Lands Fund.  This fund can be used for any of several purposes including:
  • increasing or improving use or enjoyment;
  • increasing the beautification or rehabilitation of any part of the Park Lands
  • promoting or increasing the status of the Park Lands
  • research
  • management
  • operational costs.
What a difference it would make if every proposed built intrusion onto the Park Lands had to be accompanied  by payment of the proverbial 30 pieces of silver:  a contribution to the Fund commensurate with the value of the real estate taken over ie stolen, for the project.

TWO INTO ONE?  THEY'RE DOING IT AGAIN! 

One of the main features of Tidlangga (Park 9) is the sports oval which is used regularly by Prince Alfred College and its Old Collegians.

The PAC community has put a proposal to Adelaide City Council to get rid of these two existing buildings on Tidlangga:.
...and replace them with one new building, with supposedly, a smaller footprint (artist's impression as supplied to the Council):
Now, however, the University has reneged on a deal to demolish this old building on nearby Karrawirra (Park 12).
On Tuesday 13 October, the City Council voted to start a four-week community consultation process on the PAC proposal.   Starting from Monday 19 October, you will be able to read about the proposal here:
 
http://yoursay.adelaidecitycouncil.com/your-say-adelaide
APPA is very concerned about the possibility that after the new building is constructed, the old buildings will be "still needed" and therefore will be get belated permission to remain.

That is exactly what happened recently, when the University of Adelaide got permission in 2013 to put this huge new building on Warnpangga (Park 10).  Supposedly, this building was going to replace four other buildings.
Ironically the University has told Council that the new building isn't big enough after all.   Now the Council has agreed to let this old building stay indefinitely.

SHAPE THE PARK LANDS - RESULTS


Earlier this year, the Adelaide City Council asked for public freedb ack on shapoing the Park Lands into the future.  

The results of that consultation have now been published, in this document:

The City Council says that the findings in this public engagement document will help shape  future Park Lands strategies and projects.

These strategies and projects will be included in the draft Adelaide Park Lands Management Strategy which will be released for public comment towards the end of the year (2015).

The final Park Lands Strategy will be launched following adoption by the Adelaide City Council and State Government - likely to be in the first half of 2016.

PARK LANDS ART PRIZE - ENTRIES CLOSE SOON

Entries close on 3 December for the 2016 Adelaide Park Lands Art Prize. 

Details here
: http://www.parklandsart.com/






 
Jennifer Ahrens
Decomposed Leaf #2,
'Highly commended'
Park Lands Art Prize 2014

 

PHOTOS OF THE DAY

Recent highlights
From the top:
a)  Tuthangga (Park 17) off Hutt Rd
b)  Dog park, Ngampa Yarta (Park 5) off Le Fevre Rd
c)  West Tce cemetery, Wirraninthi (Park 23)
d)  Tidlangga (Park 9) off Bundeys Rd
e)  Narnungga (Park 25) off Port Rd

The Park Lands 'photo of the day' series has been running for almost 18 months, and the collection of Park Lands photos now numbers more than 500.  We maintain (and gradually grow) 37 separate albums for each one of our 30 Parks, six squares (and one album for 'Alienations').   To browse the photos follow the link below to 'Our photos on Flickr'.

 
APPA on Facebook
APPA on Facebook
@adelparklands
@adelparklands
APPA website
APPA website
Our photos on Flickr
Our photos on Flickr
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Copyright © Adelaide Park Lands Preservation Association, Inc. [2015] All rights reserved.


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