News & Discussion: Other Metropolitan Developments

[Wayno]

Construction to start on new Police Academy

Relates to this land sale announcement 10 months ago: http://www.sensational-adelaide.com/for ... =15#p59885

Construction of a brand new state-of-the-art Police Academy at Fort Largs will begin next week.

policeacademy.jpg (89.4 KiB) Viewed 4125 times

Police Minister, Michael Wright, today announced that Badge Constructions is the successful developer for the $59 million project.

“This new training base will ensure the State’s future police officers have the very best training facilities as they embark on their law enforcement careers and is a part of the largest ever police building construction program in South Australia’s history.

Minister Wright said the commencement of construction of the new academy comes just a week after the construction of the new $100 million police headquarters commenced.

“We’re committed to providing the best facilities for our dedicated police. The current academy is now 40 years old, so a complete overhaul of the of the premises is necessary to cater for SAPOL’s ever expanding training requirements."

“The Government has recruited record numbers of police, more than 600 since coming to office, and it is our duty to ensure that our recruits have a modern and technologically advanced training facility,” he said.

“A key feature of the new academy will be a scenario village containing replica buildings, such as a hotel bar, pharmacy, bank, suburban house and police station/watch house.

The village will enable realistic replication of operational situations for cadets and serving police officers, such as with dealing domestic disputes, bank robberies, major crimes and so forth.

“The scenario village is an innovative concept that works well in overseas and interstate policing jurisdictions and will provide vital training for thousands of cadets as well as post graduates.

The new academy will also have a memorial garden to honour the lives of police officers who’ve died in the line of duty or lost their lives while serving overseas with Australia’s armed forces and United Nations peacekeeping contingents.

The new academy will include:
• 2 storey administration and teaching staff building for 136 staff
• 2-storey classroom training building comprising 20 classrooms, 9 syndicate and 4 video interview rooms
• 2 storey technology and resource centre incorporating IT training, library and resource facilities
• A single storey auditorium capable of seating 300 people
• A dining room capable of seating up to 180 people
• 2-storey accommodation block that will provide 20 motel style units
• A fitness and defensive tactics training building
• Obstacle course for recruit applicant testing and fitness and training
• A 4000m2 parade ground
• 287 car parks

Space has been allowed between building footprints for a 30 to 50% expansion in the future.

Construction is expected to be complete by September 2011.

[AtD]

It seems that Christies Beach is sharing some of the beachside apartment and development action.

It looks really promising. What do you think the council's reaction will be? I would expect the NIMBYs to be out in force.

[Norman]

It's already well into construction, AtD.

[AtD]

Well there you go!

[monotonehell]

Anything happening at the old Hackney Channel 7 studio site? The for sale signs went down around Xmas and now there's a temp fence around the entire site and a shipping container style temp building on the edge of the river. Or are they just trying to slow the vandalism? (Like a temp fence stops them )

[Xaragmata]

A few pics from the redevelopment area:








The project page is here - http://www.dfc.sa.gov.au/pub/tabId/256/ ... -West.aspx

Project map is here - http://www.dfc.sa.gov.au/Pub/LinkClick. ... &tabid=256

[Omicron]

It's a pity that it has to come to this sort of thing, because a well-maintained suburb of older houses, even relatively unassuming ones, has such a unique character. That group of shops is marvellous, too. Pity. Still, the eventual outcome is desirable, as long as people damn well take care of their houses and surroundings.

[Will]

From the Messenger:

West Beach lining up as sports central

newsLocal News31 Mar 10 @ 09:00am by Michelle Etheridge



Big vision ... CEO Garteh Smith in front of Adelaide Shores, West Beach.



MORE than 35 sports organisations have registered their interest in moving to West Beach, under a bold plan to spend up to $220 million transforming Adelaide Shores into a major sporting hub.

The vision would see up to 340 permanent jobs created at the Military Rd complex and 230 during construction.

The Adelaide Shores board and local councils are considering a draft masterplan to redevelop the site over the next 20 years.

One of the first projects planned is a mini-wind farm, expected to be built behind the dunes, near the sewage treatment plant (see separate report).

The vision also includes:

* new clubrooms for golf and lawn bowls, with a function room and bistro;

* a community leisure centre for “second-tier sports”, such as squash, volleyball and wrestling;

* a new business accommodation complex, with about 120 rooms over about two-storeys;

* extended playing fields; and

* beach volleyball courts.Adelaide Shores CEO Gareth Smith said West Beach Recreation Reserve’s proximity to the airport and city made it the ideal location for a sporting hub.

“Most sports now realise that to be sustainable, you have to have a multi-purpose facility,” he said.

The complex would attract national and international sporting events, potentially including the start or finish of a Tour Down Under leg.

“We’re in the middle of a major cycling route and ... it would be a great spot for it.” He said 37 organisations had expressed an interest in moving their administration or games to the site, including Bowls SA, SA Baseball League, Squash SA, Archery SA, Marleston League and the Henley and Grange bowling clubs.

Volleyball SA general manager Andrew Rumbelow said moving to West Beach would address a lack of available courts.

Volleyball SA’s administration is based at Marden and games are played at Heathfield High.

“We really can’t expect anyone from northern areas to travel that far, but somewhere like Adelaide Shores is far more central,” he said.

“We’re very keen to see a facility there, to see volleyball progress as a sport.”

The wind farm is expected to be built over the next two years, with the community leisure centre and shared golf and bowls clubrooms next on the agenda.

Adelaide Shores will seek funding from stakeholder organisations, councils, the State and Federal governments and private sector.

The site already includes a caravan park, holiday park, boat haven, golf course, lacrosse courts, skate park, softball fields and function complex.

Charles Sturt mayor Harold Anderson said Adelaide Shores was an ideal location for a sporting hub, thanks to its proximity to the beach and other sporting clubs.

“It’s got enormous potential because it’s won so m any tourism awards for its accommodation and management,” he said.

[Will]

Also from The Messenger:

Wind farm plan for $220m hub

newsLocal News31 Mar 10 @ 09:00am by Michelle Etheridge



WIND power may be harnessed by Adelaide Shores under a State Government plan to build a mini-wind farm near the West Beach boating area.

Adelaide Shores CEO Gareth Smith said the trial would see three or four 15m turbines installed for 12 months.

The project aims to measure the amount of energy produced by the turbines, and could pave the way for similar projects elsewhere.

Mr Smith said the area’s strong winds and distance from homes made it ideal.

“We’re looking at which (turbines) create more power and generate less noise,” he said.

“There’s a perception that these things have to be pretty noisy. We hope this trial will show some of these things can fit into the community well.”

The State Government had planned to erect the turbines at Somerton Surf Life Saving Club late last year, but Holdfast Bay Council rejected the project following strong concern over potential noise and visual impact. Mr Smith said the turbines were likely to be erected behind the sand dunes, next to holiday park’s treatment plant, about a kilometre from homes.

Details about how the energy would be used were yet to be finalised but Mr Smith hoped some of it would help power the caravan park’s 11 new ‘eco-tents’. The permanent, furnished tents, are designed to have minimal impact on the environment.

He said if approved, the wind farm, the area’s sand dune habitat and a new solar panel project could establish the park as an environmental education centre. “We could develop a great environmental trail,” he said. “People could have a look at (the turbines) and read information about how they work and what they do.

“Over the last five years we’ve planted about 50,000 plants to try and maintain the dunes as a natural habitat.”

A Sustainability Department spokeswoman said the turbines were made in the US and Europe and the trial would test their performance under local conditions.

She said the project would be “subject to normal planning approval processes which will require consultation”. “The site under consideration is removed from residences and businesses so it is not expected that it will affect their amenity. However, any party with a view will be able to have it considered in the planning approval process ... “

The spokeswoman said the department was completing the project’s “investigative stage”, which included considerations such as soil assessment. “These outcomes will then be reviewed by West Beach Trust and (the department) before any decisions are made to progress to the next stage.”

[Omicron]

Question - need the sewage treatment plant remain where it is indefinitely, or would it be possible to relocate in the future? Such prime land would be worth millions and millions of dollars if sold to private interests - enough, one would think, to cover the cost of relocation.

[skyliner]

So that area roughly to the west of Harbourtown IS a sewage treatment place. (ignorant of this). Always thought the area was very poor for an ocean fronting zone. (and wondered why). From Military road looked like the back of no-where. Saw it again at the start of this year - just as bad. Really happy to read this news - heaps of potential to make a very attractive area. As Omi said - huge value if the sewage farm was gone. A major feature of trees would help enormously.

SA - STATE ON THE MOVE

[Prince George]

So that area roughly to the west of Harbourtown IS a sewage treatment place. (ignorant of this). Always thought the area was very poor for an ocean fronting zone. (and wondered why). From Military road looked like the back of no-where. Saw it again at the start of this year - just as bad. Really happy to read this news - heaps of potential to make a very attractive area. As Omi said - huge value if the sewage farm was gone. A major feature of trees would help enormously.

The sewage treatment plant is a little further south than that. If you imagine the point right at the end of the main runway, where there's that big bend in the Patawalonga and in Tapleys Hill road, head directly west from there and you hit the sewage plant. This area, of course, was to be the site of the third fort in our sea defence plan, the one that gave us Fort Largs and Fort Glanville, and was the origin of the name Military Road.

[Wayno]

This is slowly creeping towards completion. Anyone with a decent camera passing by soon?

[Xaragmata]

From Thursday:

[Omicron]

We waited four years for that?