Copy
e-Gazette No. 020 -   November, 2016.       If this email doesn't look right, then:
View this email in your browser

In this e-Gazette....

 

1,080 APARTMENTS ON PARK LANDS? CALL FOR A CITIZENS JURY

Renewal SA is proposing to take away land dedicated as part of the Adelaide Park Lands (the old RAH site) and allow private developers to build (among other things) 1,080 private apartments, a five-star hotel and a retail and commercial precinct.

31 Eminent South Australians have signed a statement, reminding us that the Park Lands (including this site) are held "in trust" for the people of our City and State.  They say that commercial and residential use of this site would be a "gross breach" of that trust.


Their full Statement is here:
http://www.adelaide-parklands.asn.au/current-issues/

The opening of the new RAH is a once-in-a-generation opportunity, to reaffirm Adelaide's unique status as a city in a Park by reclaiming the old RAH site; which this Government has long promised would be returned to Park Lands.

Cultural and education buildings can be considered on this land.   However, any attempt to alienate this land for private or commercial purposes is as controversial as the recent proposal for a nuclear waste dump.  Like the former idea, if not rejected out of hand, it should be at least put before a Citizens Jury.

Please sIgn our new petition to the chair of Renewal SA, Bronwyn Pike:

https://www.change.org/p/renewal-sa-head-bronwyn-pike-1-080-private-apartments-and-a-hotel-on-park-lands-at-least-put-it-to-a-citizens-jury
There are other ways to take action. 

Write directly to the Premier  (feel free to copy and paste from the text above) or check out other options here: 
http://www.adelaide-parklands.asn.au/take-action/


 
CITY COUNCIL SHARES "PROFOUND CONCERN" OVER "DANGEROUS PRECEDENT"
The proposed development on the old Royal Adelaide Hospital site risks "monstering" demand for development in Adelaide’s CBD and sets a dangerous precedent for the Park Lands, according to Adelaide CIty Councillors.

At a meeting on 8 November of the Council's "Strategy, Planning & Partnerships Committee" Cr Philip Martin combined with the Deputy Lord Mayor Megan Hender (pictured above) to move a motion expressing "profound concern" about the plans (see story above) and urging the State Government to reconsider its decision. The motion was affirmed by the full Council on Tuesday 15 November, so there is strong support for this at the Adelaide Town Hall.

The Council's stand has not been welcomed by the Property Council. 

Surprisingly, the Property Council seems to be arguing against the interest of its own members, effectively wanting to devalue all existing CBD apartments by creating a new glut of apartments in the Park Lands.  Read more here: 


http://indaily.com.au/news/local/2016/11/09/city-councils-profound-concern-over-old-rah-development/

'EXTREME INCOMPETENCE' TO TRASH RYMILL PARK, SAYS CIVIC TRUST

The Australian Civic Trust hands out awards every year for excellence in design, and also gives 'brickbats' for design failures.

Its 2016 awards, issued on 24 October, were remarkable for including not one, but TWO State Government Park Lands disasters among the brickbats.

In relation to the O-Bahn extension through Rymill Park, (aerial photo above, © Aerotech 2016) the Civic Trust's comments included:
"...this project ... appears to be guided only by a trivial time change in a transport corridor that could be achieved by other means and may be cancelled out anyway by an increased demand for parking. Government announcements initially led the public to believe there would be a tunnel, not a trench, and that the trench would be covered all the way to Grenfell Street. This is not the case.

"Where is the Government’s study of alternative routes? Not of interest, it seems. Planning throughout 2015 was focussed exclusively on how it could clear away legislative impediments to its chosen O-Bahn route. It’s an easily-avoidable disaster for the Park Lands and Adelaide and doesn’t have even a valid marginally-identifiable benefit.

"... a dedicated bus lane ... would provide the same result at a fraction of the environmental disturbance, nuisance and costs. This is extreme incompetence in planning."
 The Civic Trust also took aim at the Government's plans for Festival Plaza:
"The State Government appears to have made multi-million dollar agreements with private concerns to proceed with a casino extension encroaching onto Elder Park, including a high-rise tower block. In addition it appears that taxpayers will be paying $180 million towards the cost!

"It’s been known and accepted since the foundation of Adelaide that private developments should be in the CBD on the other side of North Terrace, not in the Park Lands. ...

"The Adelaide Park Lands are unique in the world but it now appears, to the lasting detriment of the integrity of the city and Adelaide’s international feature of world renown, that the state government is neglecting its role of care."
 
Full details of the Civic Trust's "Civic Review -  2016 Awards and Brickbats" can be found here:  http://www.civictrust.net.au/2016%20Review.pdf

If the State Government's mishandling of the Park Lands makes you see red, then TAKE ACTION:   http://www.adelaide-parklands.asn.au/take-action

 
REMNANT NATIVE VEGETATION - JUST 6% & NOW TO BE SAVED?
Only 6% of the Adelaide Park Lands have been protected as remnant native vegetation.

This compares to more than 20% that has been occupied by buildings, roads and other hard surfaces.

The gradual reduction of native vegetation may be about to stop. At the City Council's meeting this week (Tuesday 15 November) the Council agreed to amend the new Park Lands Management Strategy to insist that the 6% remaining be protected and eroded no further.

The Management Strategy also provides that the amount of open woodland (currently 24% of the Park Lands) should not be any further reduced, although it leaves open the option of changing the uses of sites within the Park Lands to retain that percentage of woodland.

In another significant improvement to the Park Lands Management Strategy, the document now also includes a commitment
to tighten circumstances in which car parking on the Park Lands will be permitted with a target of reducing car parking on the Park Lands by 5% by 2025.
 

SPORTS SUITS AND SPORTS FUNCTION CENTRES 

Hundreds of thousands of South Australilans use the Park Lands to play organised or casual sport.  Many of them belong to clubs or associations that have been allowed to build, or lease club rooms, change rooms, or other facilities in the Park Lands.

APPA welcomes sporting uses of the Park Lands. It's great to see so many South Aussies getting out in fresh air in the beautiful surrounds.  We at APPA love showcasing their efforts regularly with our Park Lands photo of the day series.  (See recent highlights below).

However, we are worried by the current trend for many sporting organisations to be granted not just playing spaces, change rooms and toilets, but also "function centres" and office or administration facilities on Park Lands.   These type of buildings exclude the public from their privately-leased land.  The growing number of function centres also compete with hotels, restaurants and other facilities in the commercial zones of the CBD.

At the City Council's meeting this week (Tuesday 15 November) the Council dealt with three recent attempts at private takeover of public space.   See below.

 
This "function centre" proposed by the SA Cricket Association in Narnungga (Park 25) off Port Rd has now received the CIty Council's approval.  The deal is now subject only to State Parliament's role to sign off on the proposed 42-year lease. 
This building proposed by the Adelaide Comets soccer club, is almost double the footprint of existing buildings in Park 24 (Tampawardli) off Glover Ave.   Adelaide CIty Councillors, at a Committee meeting on 8 November told the club to think again and rejected this plan
An ambit claim from two hockey clubs (Adelaide & Burnside) for this stadium and two synthetic pitches with concrete walls on Tuthangga (Park 17) off Greenhill Rd.  This project is still alive, with the Council not (yet) approving any lease over the site.
 

GIVE A PARK LANDS GIFT THIS CHRISTMAS

If someone you know cares about the Park Lands, show them that you share and respect their concern.

Give them a Christmas gift of membership. 

The Adelaide Park Lands Preservation Association is an incorporated body.  Our members choose a management committee each year to steer the organisation and monitor how we perform against our objectives.

There are discounted memberships available for students and concession card holders; and family memberships allow all members of the family to be recognised as members.

More details, including the annual fees and sign-up options are here:
http://www.adelaide-parklands.asn.au/membership/ 

HANNAFORD PAINTING RAFFLE - AND THE WINNER IS...

The Adelaide Park Lands Art Prize raffle was drawn, as scheduled at 5pm on Thursday 3rd November.

Present and assisting were:   Ian Gilfillan (APPA President Ian Gilfillan, APPA Committee members Hamish Ramsay, Marisha Matthews, and Michael Seager, and Art Prize sub-committee members Mary Jose and Bruno Zeni.

A random draw for the winning ticket produced the number 639.  The winning ticket was held by Katrina Ramsay, who is now the proud owner
of the Robert Hannaford painting 'Cloud Study' valued at $5,000.

The painting was donated by the artist for the purpose of raising funds to assist the planned 2018 Adelaide Park Lands Art Prize. 

PHOTOS OF THE DAY - RECENT HIGHLIGHTS

From the top:
  1. BonythonPark /Tulya Wardli (Park 27) a still from the award-winning movie from Wilderness School student Isabella Lehmann and her team
  2. Community Garden with butterfly mosaic  Walyu Yarta (Park 21) near Sir Lewis Cohen Ave
  3. Basketball, Ityamai-itpina (Park 15) off Wakefield Rd
  4. Swan, rotunda & fountain on River Torrens:  Elder Park, Tarntanya Wama (Park 26) off King William Rd
  5. Remembrance Day, November 11,  Prince Henry Gardens Karrawirra (Park 12) at the War Memorial cnr of North Tce & Kintore Ave

The Park Lands 'photo of the day' series has been running since May 2014, and the collection of Park Lands photos now numbers more than  900.  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
Share
Tweet
Forward
Copyright © Adelaide Park Lands Preservation Association, Inc. [2015] All rights reserved.


unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences 

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp