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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2010-09-16 Daily Xml
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OPEN SPACE FUNDING

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN (14:38): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Leader of the Government and Minister for Urban Development and Planning a question regarding open space funding.

Leave granted.

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN: The Department of Planning and Local Government currently administers the Open Space and Places for People grants programs and provides financial assistance to councils for the purchase, development and planning of open space. Will the minister advise of any recent funding announcement within the Adelaide area that will be of interest to members?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister Assisting the Premier in Public Sector Management) (14:38): I thank the honourable member for his question and his interest in the Open Space and Places for People grants programs. These grant programs are financed through the Planning and Development Fund and provide significant assistance to councils across South Australia to improve and protect open space in the public realm. Since July 2002, more than $75 million in funding has been provided through the Open Space and Places for People grants programs.

Honourable members will be interested in some of the recent grants that have been provided through these programs. Just this week I wrote to the City of Prospect to inform the council that the state government will provide $1.1 million from the Places for People program to support the development of the Prospect Village Hub and Vine Street Plaza. This government is working closely with the City of Prospect to develop Prospect Road as the heartbeat of the inner northern suburbs. This funding will be supported by a further half a million dollars provided by the Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure to resurface this important traffic corridor, which extends from the Parklands to the inner northern suburbs. The City of Prospect will also be coming to the party with a $1.5 million contribution to the village hub and plaza project.

So, not only will this $3.1 million in funding create a special place within Prospect, adding to this important community's vibrancy, but the vision embraced by the City of Prospect is consistent with the principles and objectives of the 30-Year Plan for Greater Adelaide. The redevelopment will provide for wider footpaths to accommodate outdoor dining, improved landscaping and street lighting and special features, such as drinking fountains, street furniture, cycle lanes and public art.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mayor David O'Loughlin and his fellow councillors for pushing hard to deliver this vision for Prospect. We have a very good relationship with the council which we expect will continue to deliver real benefits to its residents.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: Well, personally I would be delighted if that is the case, because this is a council that is a delight to work with in terms of delivering for its constituents. However, our provision for a better Adelaide is not confined to the northern suburbs. I was most pleased recently to attend the official opening of the zone 2 trail network located at the Lynton, Sleeps Hill and neighbouring reserves in the City of Mitcham. This project to develop the zone 2 trail network of walking and cycling through the Lynton, Sleeps Hill and neighbouring reserves was made possible by a grant of $260,950, through the Open Space Grant Funding program, from the Planning and Development Fund. This project was also made possible by a grant of $125,000 provided through the Office for Recreation and Sport.

Along with the Mayor of the Mitcham council, Ivan Brooks, who I believe is retiring at the next election, I jointly opened the latest stage to this trail network. In fact, Ivan and I had the pleasure, if I can call it that, of hopping on a couple of mountain bikes and pedalling down a part of the track to mark the occasion.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: The member for Waite was also in attendance at the opening in his electorate. He wasn't encouraged to jump on a bike, but it was good to see the former opposition leader acknowledging the work that is being carried out by the local council in developing this bike network.

This exciting project is a result of many years of planning and consultation by the City of Mitcham to ensure that the trails are developed in a way that carefully balances the biodiversity, conservation and recreation opportunities of these hills face zone reserves. The City of Mitcham holds the largest network of council-managed reserves within the hills face zone, with the connectedness of those reserves having great appeal to walkers and mountain bikers from across Adelaide. As such, I acknowledge the work undertaken by the City of Mitcham on this excellent project to create a whole network of trails for walkers and cyclists of a variety of difficulty and skill levels—I took the very easy one.

The zone 2 trail project has resulted in the rationalisation of the existing trail network, the closure and rehabilitation of unsustainable trails and the development of walking, cycling and shared-use recreational trails. These have been developed as a demonstration of international best practice sustainable trail construction. The protection of the remnant vegetation has been an important component of this project. The grey box woodland found in this area of the Adelaide foothills is a nationally endangered plant association. I also acknowledge the work of the local Trees for Life and Bush for Life volunteers, who provide many hours of volunteer work to remove weeds up there—and there are lots of them—and promote biodiversity in the Mitcham reserves.

The state government is committed, through the 30-Year Plan for Greater Adelaide, to develop walking and cycling trails and sustainable recreational facilities, such as the Mitcham trails project. This project typifies the government's commitment to enhancing opportunities for walking and cycling and promoting a healthy and active lifestyle while protecting our biodiversity assets. I am delighted that the South Australian government has been able to play an important role in providing these wonderful facilities for the people of Adelaide and also local residents in the Mitcham council area. I am sure that projects such as these have the support of not only the local members, the member for Waite in the latter case, but all members in this place.

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