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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2008-06-19 Daily Xml
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OPEN SPACE AND PLACES FOR PEOPLE GRANTS

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (14:42): Will the Minister for Urban Development and Planning provide the chamber with details of how regional South Australia is sharing in the benefits of the government's open space and Places for People grants?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Police, Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning) (14:43): I am delighted to inform members that recently I approved more than $1.1 million in grants in the latest round of funding to support projects that will improve the quality of public space throughout regional South Australia. While much of the money provided by these grants has gone to projects in metropolitan Adelaide, such as the River Torrens Linear Park and the Coast Park initiative, regional South Australia has not missed out. Only this month nine new open space and Places for People grants went to regional councils to be financed from the South Australian government's planning and development fund.

The latest round comprises $1,104,500 of funding for works that include redeveloping the riverfront along the River Murray and upgrading town centres. The grants approved by this government support public projects worth $2,916,750 in six regional councils: the District Council of Yorke Peninsula; the District Council of Mount Barker; the Adelaide Hills Council; the Northern Areas Council; the City of Port Augusta; and the District Council of Loxton and Waikerie. This government has now invested more than $40 million in grants to beautify this state through the creation and improvement of public spaces, both in Adelaide and in regional South Australia. Whether it involves beautifying the Lobethal town centre or developing riverfront parks along the River Murray, the state government is keen to support local government bodies and invest in their communities.

The newest grants from the open space and Places for People initiative are: $270,000 to the District Council of Mount Barker for the $551,050 Laratinga linear trial development; $225,000 to the District Council of Loxton and Waikerie for the $342,000 Waikerie riverfront redevelopment; $180,000 to the Northern Areas Council for the $340,000 Belalie Creek footbridge; $180,000 to the Northern Areas Council for the $539,000 Gladstone town centre redevelopment; $100,000 to the Adelaide Hills Council for the $870,700 stage 1b of the Lobethal redevelopment; $75,000 to the District Council of Loxton Waikerie for the $120,000 Loxton riverfront redevelopment; $50,000 to the District Council of Yorke Peninsula for the $54,000 Walk-the-Yorke project; $12,500 to the District Council of Mount Barker for the $25,000 Mount Barker Entry-Keith Stephenson Park project; and $12,000 to the City of Port Augusta to help fund a $75,000 study into the redevelopment of the civic centre.

These grants include funding for a concept plan for a trail development within Yorke Peninsula. The concept plan, part-funded by this grant, will look at linking together existing trails and identifying potential new trails along Yorke Peninsula. The plan will also identify appropriate locations for rest stops, as well as picnic areas, providing barbecue settings, shelters and overnight camping facilities.

Two Places for People grants provided to the District Council of Loxton Waikerie will help local government carry out further work on the Loxton and Waikerie riverfront developments, and work planned for Loxton will improve access between the Loxton Historical Village, a new visitors' information centre, a new cafe, the town centre, and the riverfront, and it will encourage boat users to visit services in the town. The Waikerie project includes building new community facilities along the riverfront, including barbecue shelters, benches, lighting, and an upgrade of the adjoining boat ramp.

A Places for People grant to the Northern Areas Council will help fund the upgrade of remediated parkland along the main street of Gladstone. This money will help fund the creation of community space, including seating, picnic tables, lighting, street art, a water feature and tree planting near the memorial park that commemorates the tragic death two years ago of three people in the explosives factory explosion at nearby Beetaloo Valley.

A further Places for People grant to the Northern Areas Council will provide step-free pedestrian access and landscaping from the Belalie Creek footbridge to Ayr Street in Jamestown. One of the Open Space grants provided to the Mount Barker District will help fund a master plan to redevelop the approach to Mount Barker, its main thoroughfare, and Keith Stephenson Park. The other Open Space grant will help fund the construction of a shared-use path from the Laratinga Linear Park Trail to Anembo Park in Littlehampton.

A Places for People grant to the Adelaide Hills Council will help support the completion of stage 1a of capital works in Lobethal. The grant will assist the construction of new footpaths, kerbing, tree planting, street furniture, a cycle lane and landscaping along the western side of Lobethal's main street after the planned undergrounding this year of powerlines. These capital works will replicate the existing eastern side improvements to Lobethal carried out after overhead powerlines were put underground last year. A Places for People grant to the City of Port Augusta will top up a previous $25,000 grant to the council to help fund a study into a possible redevelopment of the civic centre.

When it comes to the provision of quality open space, this government does not overlook the communities in regional South Australia, many of whom have struggled through years of drought and economic uncertainty. These grants provide construction and design work in rural and regional areas and will leave a lasting legacy of parks and open space for all to enjoy. So, they complement the reforms the government plans in relation to hospitals and will bring significant benefits to a number of country areas. But that is really a matter for my colleague the Minister for Health.

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