Commenting on the story: Urrbrae gatehouse demolition push despite millions in ‘contingency’ and heritage funding

So relocating the gatehouse would diminish its heritage value. Thank goodness this can be avoided by demolishing it. – Stephen Marlow

Something’s not right somewhere. Situation normal for Mr Wingard and his Department of Transport. – Michael Adams

It is hard to know whether Transport Minister Corey Wingard’s refusal to preserve the Waite Gatehouse is innate recalcitrant doggedness or is influenced by the curious, selective and misinformed advice he received from his Department.

Either way, his position is illogical and unsustainable and flies in the face of expert advice that the state heritage structure can safely and effectively be moved without significant structural damage or the serious loss of mature trees.

The public reaction to the demolition proposal has been massive and unprecedented. The Minister and his Government will ignore it at their peril. The Gatehouse can and must be saved. – Warren Jones

The proposed demolition of the Urrbrae Gatehouse would never be considered in a European regional centre.

Those towns, proud of their heritage would have their partisans out in the streets baying for the blood of their decision makers. Perhaps we should ask ours to resign as they have lost all inventiveness.

There is no justification whatsoever to demolish the Urrbrae Gatehouse. Adelaide is a dusty town lacking in gusto. – Philip Hopkins

Clearly SA is not a democracy. That the government can persist with this policy in the face of overwhelming voter disapproval, proves this. The bureaucrats have captured their Minister. 

Heard the one about the UK hospital which got top rating because it had no staff or patients? Yes, it was a ‘Yes, Minister’ ‘comedy’ – actually a documentary on how government works.

(Demolition) is the department‘s preferred option. That’s right, the dark unaccountable eminences of the bureaucratic establishment.

And the bureaucrat’s comment that moving the building will degrade its heritage value, while destroying it apparently will not, is a classic case of bureaucrat ‘logic’. Gobbledegook, in other words. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. Cry, I think. – Robert Warn

Everything possible should be done to preserve our heritage and clearly, there is more than enough funding and know how to save the Urrbrae structure.

Shame on those who won’t go to the effort to put the measures in place (the funding is there) to make these things happen. Yes, we need upgrades to accommodate for the ever growing amount of traffic, but we also need to keep in mind where we have all evolved from and the beauty in our heritage listed buildings. We cannot have enough of them. – Peter Roehsl

If this demolition goes ahead I for one will not be voting Liberal ever again. The road tailors down to a single lane road anyway. – Gary Spriggs

Surely the “turn left” lanes required on the south-east corner of the intersection can be constructed to pass on the east and south sides of the building, thereby only interacting with existing trees. – David Linn

There would be a way to put the two planned lanes that turn left onto Fullarton Road behind the gatehouse rather than through it. The land behind it is of no value in comparison.

Having the gatehouse on a large island could surely be made to work satisfactorily and safely, and would cost considerably less than the proposal here. – Greg Baldock

Wingard needs to rethink his decision to demolish this heritage listed, much loved building – especially when there are other options to consider.

I do not understand why the Liberal Marshall government continues to push back against the electorate that gave them government?

Remember, Mr Marshall and Mr Wingard – those who vote for you can also take away!

You have already destroyed a much loved and supported V8 car race in Adelaide and now are a government that seems determined to destroy heritage buildings with the excuse for better roads.

In my book Mr Marshall, this will be two strikes against your government. A third strike I fear, will destine your government for oblivion. – Trevor Synnett

Preservation of the $3m contingency for unexpected issues with the core road project is sensible. This is about 5% of the project budget and would not want to be any less.

What is not sensible is the government’s approach to road infrastructure projects. Where is the integrated, holistic planning that all road users including pedestrians and cyclists, wider environmental impacts – heat, stormwater, pollution – and heritage issues at the inception of these projects? Especially given the Government’s election promises regarding heritage. This is 2021, not 1970. – Nicolette Di Lernia

This is a disgusting omen the part of our current government. They have stooped as low as possible. – Christine Nicholls

The Government should first consider whether the road works supposedly justifying the removal of the Waite Gatehouse are justified, and whether they could simply be omitted or traffic congestion could be eased by better public transport.

If the work is considered to be essential, they should use the heritage fund to move the building. – Margaret Dingle

I can’t see the logic in the spending of millions of dollars in destroying heritage and also good housing to make way for a widening of an intersection at the cost of millions of dollars, to then brag that this will save “3 minutes”.

In my opinion thus is not necessary when in the scheme of things our traffic moves quite well.

I would be happier to see this funding spent more on country roads, where the road and its speed limits are quite unsafe. – Christine Sebastyan

Unfortunately at this time roadworks seem to be placed above almost everything else. Simply bulldozing everything in the way of a transport engineer’s drawing reduces amenity and it not a good way to increase employment.

How is it that the State Government can demolish a historic, culturally rich building for a road?

To preserve culture and history, particularly in the name of Peter Waite (Waite Arboretum) should be seen by the Government as critical for the betterment of the people of this great state, South Australia.

The significant tree legislation was introduced to protect the visual landscape that is prevalent in and around the suburbs and to loose so many trees, again, for a road, is ridiculous to say the least.

With $3 million in contingency and and another $2 million in heritage money this protect could be managed much better indeed.

Come on fellow South Aussies, sign the petition and make our Government accountable for their actions.

To see such a building lost for a road would simply be a disgraceful act and a huge loss to all South Australians.

At least by trying to move the Gatehouse and if necessary repair it after, history and culture would be preserved, albeit in a slightly different location. – Chris Keynes

We all need to advocate for the gatehouse to be preserved for future generations. It would be terrible for us to destroy such a magnificent building.

It is absurd that our representatives believe it is OK to bulldoze our heritage!

 Please advise me where I can sign a petition and forward it to others to do the same? – Kenise Neill 

How do we access the petition? Also someone should start a petition with an addition of something to the effect that the signatories would not be voting to return the Marshall Govt if the building is demolished.

This would put a cat among the pigeons! What do other readers think? – Wendy Faccenda

Commenting on the story: Property acquisitions in major intersection upgrade

I wholeheartedly agree with those bemoaning the loss of the right hand turns at the Fullarton Road /Glen Osmond Road intersection.

I have rarely seen those waiting to turn right into Glen Osmond Road disrupt the traffic proceeding along Fullarton and that can be managed with a turn right arrow.

I live off a street behind the Parkside Hotel and will now not only miss the chance to travel east on Glen Osmond Road (without cutting through numerous backstreets and attempting to turn right somewhere without traffic lights), I will be unable to turn right from Hone onto Fullarton (currently a useful turn through the gap in waiting traffic). 

Nor will I be able to turn right from Fullarton into Hone. This will simply add to the current overloading of Campbell Road.

This is another perverse decision relating to the traffic management at the intersection. I have spent many a frustrating time waiting at the red right turn light (straight ahead being green) for those travelling east wanting to turn right into Fullarton when there is absolutely no oncoming traffic. 

It’s time to treat us as responsible adults who can safely manoeuvre a right hand turn. – Peter Tonkin