Sensational-Adelaide.com

omada wrote:No sorry, this means more permanent infrastructure in an park already congested for 6 months of the year with temporary grandstands. Not to mention the proliferation of bitumen roads now dissecting the park.

Hooligan wrote:when i walk my dog through the parklands on a relaxing sunday morning the last thing i want to see is ugly lights impeding my vision of the trees.

I hope Moran is onto this!

Victoria Park's garden oasis vision revealed
Tim Williams
City Messenger
March 01, 201310:45AM


Concept image by Oxigen of what the proposed garden oasis in Victoria Park may look like - it is due to be completed by the middle of the year.

THIS is the first image of how Victoria Park will be transformed into a garden oasis by the middle of the year.

The east-west corridor, linking the Halifax St and Fullarton Rd entrances, will have trees, mostly gums, planted along its length.

A report to the Adelaide Park Lands Authority says the 1.6ha project will have an array of garden beds, "flowering meadow" patches, grassed areas, "pockets of native grasses", seating including picnic settings and "linking, meandering pathways".

There is already a cycling track across the park.

The concept images, prepared by consultants Oxigen for the City Council following public consultation, indicate what the finished project might look like.

The report says "a series of garden rooms, each with a slightly different element to discover", would be created. The "rooms" would be formed by arrangements of plantings, low walls, seating, sculptures and mounds.


Victoria Park central gardens concept image from consultant Oxigen.

"Meadow plantings using a combination of native and exotic flowering species (will) weave throughout the gardens," the report says.

"Hard surfaces are to be kept to a minimum, encouraging visitors to spend time in the gardens rather than race through at speed."

Taps and bollards with power points would allow pop-up food sellers to set up during sporting and cycling events in Victoria Park.

A council spokeswoman said works would start in April and be finished by the end of June.

The council is spending $1.7 million on Victoria Park upgrades this financial year, including landscaped entrances at Halifax St and Fullarton Rd, near Grant Ave, completed in early February.

The garden corridor will run alongside nine new sports fields to be completed mid-year.

The playing fields were supposed to have been finished last winter but were delayed by the collapse of civil contractor ADCIV.

- See more at: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sout ... s7Rzc.dpuf

claybro wrote:As for native grasses and "meadows" read.."this is the lowest maintenance/cost landscaping we can come up with."If the mess that is the old SA Water site is anything to go by, it will not look good. I must say this is completely underwhelming, but not entirely unexpected.Would have preferred it be left a green open space if the council wishes to concentrate money on other parts. And while on the subject, what the hell is going on with Greenhill road and the South Parklands. Didnt we just spend millions of dollars bringing treated sewrage water to water the parklands. Greenhill road median is a discrace, as is much of the South Parklands. A dry dusbowl, and dont blame the weather. Melbourne and Perth have been just as dry in the last 6 months, but everwhere their parklands are kept watered and green.

claybro wrote:Didn't we just spend millions of dollars bringing treated sewrage water to water the parklands.

Wayno wrote:

claybro wrote:Didn't we just spend millions of dollars bringing treated sewrage water to water the parklands.

This is a common misunderstanding. The ACC, be it right or wrong, never committed to watering all the parklands, just all the trees. i spoke with a councilor about greening the southern dustbowl some time ago. The response; more watering = more maintenance expense (mowing, weeding, etc) and budget doesn't exist to cover all the parklands.

claybro wrote:At risk of getting off thread, all suburban councils are guilty of this. As per the response to Wayno.."more watering=more expense etc" . I had similar issue with Mitcham council re a local reserve. They advised they do not water the local reserve due to the drought...when pointed out that the drought officially ended over 3 years ago, there was no response. Seems they have cottoned on to the fact that if they water, they have to mow. Despite the fact that there is record revenue from unprecedented subdivision and increased population the councils cry poor. And given ACC councillors bang on about our "iconic" parklands, you would think at the very least they could enusre they are watered. I do have concerns that once Vicoria Park is planted, it will become a forgotten wasteland...except when the clipsal is in town.

claybro wrote:At risk of getting off thread, all suburban councils are guilty of this. As per the response to Wayno.."more watering=more expense etc" . I had similar issue with Mitcham council re a local reserve. They advised they do not water the local reserve due to the drought...when pointed out that the drought officially ended over 3 years ago, there was no response. Seems they have cottoned on to the fact that if they water, they have to mow. Despite the fact that there is record revenue from unprecedented subdivision and increased population the councils cry poor. And given ACC councillors bang on about our "iconic" parklands, you would think at the very least they could enusre they are watered. I do have concerns that once Vicoria Park is planted, it will become a forgotten wasteland...except when the clipsal is in town.