If you are held up by a robber, or thief, you might expect to lose your purse or wallet and everything in it.

Your jewellery, watch, cash and credit cards would all be at risk.

But how would you feel if the robber took pity on you, and took only half of your valuables?

Would that feel like a win? Would you be glad? "I guess it could have been worse" you might say. Or would you still be upset?

Until last week, the State Government was intending to seize 15,400 square metres of your Kate Cocks Park (an area as large as 59 tennis courts) including historic olive groves - to build a multi-storey car park, and "transit hub".

However the Government's planners have told the City Council that they've revised their plans, to reduce the size of their proposed Park Lands land grab.

On Tuesday 26 October 2021, the City Council received a presentation from Mr Brendan Hewitt, Project Director and Mr David Forster, Deputy Project Director New Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

Mr Hewitt and Mr Forster advised the Council that the State Government now intended to take only 8,350 square metres (only as large as 32 tennis courts, rather than 59 tennis courts) for their proposed car park and “transit hub” next to the proposed new Women's and Children's Hospital.

*A smaller footprint, but still on your Park Lands. The areas marked in red do not include the area of Park Lands to be taken by the new hospital - another two hectares (20,000 square metres)*

The smaller area still includes some of the 19th century olive groves, but it would not impact the nearby paddocks where SA Police keep their horses.

This is not a win for your Open Green Public Park Lands. Losing 8,350 square metres of your Park Lands, for a car park is still a loss - a big loss for you, your children, your grandchildren, and Adelaide's world-unique, National Heritage -listed Park Lands.

Of course the proposed car park is being proposed for your Park Lands because the State Government has refused to consider any site other than Park Lands for a new Women's and Children's Hospital.

Despite concerns about the limitations of the proposed site, the State Government is NOT revising its plans for the hospital and still intends to destroy this Park Lands garden (see pic, below) next to the Royal Adelaide Hospital.

*The garden in Park 27 that the State Government intends to destroy to build its proposed new Womens and Children’s Hospital*

At its meeting on Tuesday 26 October, the Council "welcomed" the changed car park design. However the Council has not yet decided whether it will agree to hand over Kate Cocks Park to the State Government for this car park.