Parklands yet another development opportunity

Commenting on the story: Stadium Wars: new city venue “inevitable” as talks step up

The article is remarkable for the way the Adelaide Venue Management Corporation and other “sources” blithely seem to assume that another swathe of Adelaide’s national heritage-listed parklands should be concreted over.

Not content with swallowing almost the entire riverbank precinct of Park 26 in a series of monolithic function venues, the thinking at AVMC now appears to be that even a degraded parklands site would be better than the land already utilised in the too-far-distant commercial zone of Hindmarsh.

And yes, the rail yards are still within the bounds of Park 27.  Adjacent land between North Terrace and the river apparently, also within AVMC’s sights, was last year being touted as ideal for either a 27-storey private hotel and/or a commercial helipad.  

But a park? Perish the thought that even a sliver of parklands might be permitted to exist between North Terrace and the River Torrens. 

What a bargain it would be for the AVMC to sell off two prime sites in Hindmarsh and grab a slice of public land instead.  

To those who say that the site should be developed simply because it is degraded, remember that Rymill Park and Rundle Park once featured rubbish dumps. 

Rehabilitating part of the world-unique Adelaide parklands would make much more of a lasting impact on this city and its reputation than yet another concrete canyon. – Shane Sody

Sturt candidate has done the hard yards

Commenting on the story: Former candidate steps up as Downer endorses Pyne successor

As a woman, I might be expected to push the “preselect a woman” line, and I do have some sympathy for that notion.

However, in the case of the Sturt federal electorate, James Stevens has been putting in years of volunteer hours, doing what needs to be done to keep the Sturt branch robust and the member elected.

He is already committed, known by the members of the electoral college, and demonstrated to have the required experience, which puts him quite a bit ahead of anyone who just pops in to ask for the spot.

That the other possible contenders are being backed by conservative elements, no fans of politically moderate Pyne, comes as little surprise.

Anyone who wanted Sturt to weather the change of member and stay Liberal would not risk bumping off the seasoned campaign strategist and highly electable Stevens in the internal battle. – Patricia Chigwidden

Let a thousand rail links bloom

Commenting on the story: Adelaide’s public transport users need a more powerful voice

So many developments are being built or proposed around the Adelaide terminal station.   

With so many patrons there is a need a high capacity north-south and east-west rail system under the roads of the CBD and parklands. 

The lower ovals of Adelaide High School are immediately adjacent to four tracks of suburban railway at the Mile End railway station, with four platforms that could be lengthened to take nine-carriage trains.   

A double-level tunnel for east-west trains and O-Bahn buses could run from Mile End station – Glover Avenue – Currie St – Grenfell St to Rymill Park O-Bahn tunnel with a branch for a new rail tunnel under park – under PAC oval – under The Parade to  Beulah Park. – Neil Hamilton

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