Legislative Council: Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Contents

OPEN SPACE

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (15:52): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Urban Development and Planning a question regarding open space.

Leave granted.

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO: South Australia's local councils have played an integral role in identifying grassroots projects that have helped to beautify the state and provide jobs to local contractors. In the metropolitan area the councils along the foreshore and Torrens River have contributed to creating great open space throughout the Coast Park and the Linear Park initiatives. Many of these projects have been greatly assisted by the Open Space and Places for People grant schemes. Will the minister provide details on the latest council projects to benefit from state government grants financed through the Planning and Development Fund?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Small Business) (15:53): I thank the honourable member for her question. The Rann Labor government has now invested more than $48 million in the past seven years from the Planning and Development Fund to encourage local government and community groups to develop public space in their local area for recreation. The latest round of grants include more than $1.1 million for projects associated with the River Torrens Linear Park, and that will build on many millions of dollars that have been spent in the past.

The government has also provided over the past seven years $13.4 million worth of grants that have assisted councils along the metropolitan coastline to take part in projects that have contributed to creating a shared use pathway to link North Haven with Sellicks Beach. This government will now provide another $4.42 million in grants from the Planning and Development Fund to local councils in metropolitan Adelaide to assist in improving open space and places for people. These grants will assist councils to invest in local projects to beautify the Adelaide metropolitan area and improve the public's access to open space.

The newest grants for the Open Space and Places for People initiatives are:

$800,000 to the City of Onkaparinga to assist funding for the $15 million Christies Creek project upgrade as part of the Waterproofing the South initiative. The strategy seeks to provide alternative water sources such as recycled water and storm water to replace traditional sources such as mains water and groundwater. The project also aims to enhance the public's access to Christies Creek through the creation of shared use paths and trails, extensive revegetation and other landscaping associated with the linear park;

$700,000 to the cities of West Torrens and Charles Sturt to replace the existing pedestrian footbridge spanning the Torrens River from Kanbara Street, Flinders Park, to River Drive, Lockleys, and that will safely link both sides of the River Torrens Linear Park;

$450,887 to the City of Unley to implement the concept plan design for Orphanage Park. The redevelopment of the reserve near the Goodwood Road rail overpass, the site of the old orphanage, will include two large grassed, open space areas, a junior and senior play space, picnic and barbeque facilities, seating, toilets, shade structures, drinking fountains, and pathways;

$410,900 to the City of Charles Sturt to redevelop the path along the River Torrens Linear Park between Kanbara Street and the corner of Belgrave Avenue and Brentwood Road, Flinders Park;

$350,000 to the City of Port Adelaide Enfield to develop the play space area of Regency Reserve at Days Road, Regency Park. The proposed works include landscape treatments; installation of paved walkways; new play space and rubber softball; and new park furniture, including public art, seating, barbeque shelters, and bins;

$302,471 to the City of Marion to redevelop Harbrow Grove, Seacombe Gardens with a range of passive recreation areas, including a play space, walking and cycle paths, formal grassed areas, and park furniture. The development will also incorporate water-sensitive urban design to retain and reuse stormwater for irrigation and recreational purposes;

$290,000 to the City of Marion to undertake stage 2 of Tramway Park, between Park Terrace and Cross Road, Plympton. Tramway Park is a state government-initiated project involving the development of a linear park along the Adelaide to Glenelg tramway, and it incorporates the construction of a sealed shared-use path linked to adjoining footpaths and street networks;

A further $288,000 to the City of Onkaparinga to implement stage 2B of the Northern Community Recreation Park. This stage proposes to extend the existing trail linking with Glenhuntly Drive Reserve, Flagstaff Hill, which will allow an extra 1.2 kilometres and provide a variety of themed, directional and interpretative signs and park furniture;

$230,000 to Campbelltown City Council to purchase and acquire a parcel of land situated along Rostrevor Creek, Rostrevor. The land purchase will form part of the linear creek and act as a biodiversity park;

$192,500 to the City of Onkaparinga to purchase and acquire a parcel of land situated along the Sturt River, Coromandel Valley. The land purchase will form part of the Sturt River Linear Park, and it is also an integral part of the metropolitan open space system (MOSS) study area;

$110,000 to the City of Port Adelaide Enfield to develop the Largs Bay foreshore, which is part of Coast Park. The upgrade will include the renovation of the existing shelter, replacement of park furniture, new paving areas, upgrade of barbeques, seating, tables, bins and irrigation system;

$100,000 to the City of Port Adelaide Enfield to help fund feature lighting to highlight the unique architecture of the historic port precinct and to increase its potential as a major night-time entertainment area;

$100,000 to the Adelaide City Council to develop Wirranendi Environmental Trail, an interpretative walking trail in the Adelaide Parklands, incorporating environmental, recreational and educational elements. The trail aims to foster an awareness of the value of biodiversity conservation for future South Australian generations;

$35,000 to the City of Charles Sturt to undertake an urban design framework to enhance the vitality, safety and retail appeal of Woodville Road;

$25,000 to the City of Unley to undertake an urban design framework for the Keswick Barracks and surrounding area. The framework will investigate the potential land use of the area should the Department of Defence vacate the barracks;

$25,000 to the City of Prospect to undertake a parks strategy to provide direction for future development, allocation and management of the city's open space. It is anticipated that the strategy will be based on a 20-year vision, with a detailed action plan to guide open space activities for the next five years;

$10,000 to the City of Salisbury to acquire a parcel of land at Waterloo Corner Road, Paralowie, the land adjacent to the Little Para River, and this will complement the Little Para River Linear Trail.

These millions of dollars in grants, beside providing work for landscapers, designers and tradespeople, also ensures a lasting legacy of upgraded facilities, such as bikeways, picnic areas, bridges and play equipment for all South Australians.

I expect that a further round of grants will be considered in the next few months, and that will take the total amount of investment in public infrastructure under the Planning and Development Fund to more than $50 million.

While the price of some of the projects might be small, their contribution builds, park by park and pathway by pathway, a vision that provides improved streetscapes and public facilities throughout the state for all our families to enjoy.