The City of Adelaide wants your feedback on its proposed budget priorities for 2022-23.

There’s a lot to like about the Council’s proposed budget; but there’s also two serious Park Lands omissions - which you can rectify with a single response before Monday 6 June. (See below, under the heading “What Can You Do?”)

The City Council’s draft budget and business plan for the coming financial year is a large document (PDF, 122 pages, 19 Mb) but we’ve read it thoroughly, so you don’t have to.

The document is welcomed; especially the large sums devoted to maintenance and upkeep of your Adelaide Park Lands, described in the document (p106) as "Adelaide's defining feature".

The proposed budget includes $25 million under the broad heading of "Park Lands and Open Space". Much of this is for regular gardening and landscaping but APA welcomes new initiatives such as:

• Cultural Mapping of the Adelaide Park Lands - “Education and reconciliation opportunities for our Park lands in partnership with our Kaurna community and external cultural heritage experts.” $50,000

• World Heritage listing bid for the City and Park Lands - “Provide support towards the World Heritage listing bid which is a multi-year project being delivered through a partnership with Traditional Owners, the State Government, councils in the Mt Lofty Ranges and the City of Adelaide.” $50,000 Support for State Heritage listing is also included, as an ongoing activity (p88) reliant on State Government action.

• Smart Irrigation - “Implement smart irrigation systems to more accurately dispense water in our Park lands at a reduced cost.” - $50,000

• Complete Park Lands Tree and other species audit (p81)

• Support Park Lands biodiversity volunteers (p81)

• Install Park Lands interpretive and wayfinding signage (p81)

However the document is notable for two serious omissions. Nowhere in the Council’s draft budget or strategic priorities are there commitments to restoring degraded Parks, nor the much-anticipated Adelaide Recreation Circuit.

Restoration

The list omits any commitment to restore degraded or neglected parts of the Adelaide Park Lands such as Helen Mayo Park and/or Kate Cocks Park.

Allocating funds to restore each of these Parks would be consistent with Key Action 4.8 in the Council’s Strategic Priorities to "Protect and conserve the heritage listed Adelaide Park Lands".

Adelaide Recreation Circuit

The proposed Adelaide Recreation Circuit would be a world-unique unbroken and illuminated shared-use path, for running, walking or cycling a complete circuit of the City through your Open Green Public Park Lands. The key concept is to use bridges and/or underpasses to cross roads and train lines, connecting all parts of the Park Lands seamlessly and safely.

The concept has very wide community support, including among the city’s business community, and sporting groups.

Developing plans for the Adelaide Recreation Circuit would be consistent with a “key action” in the City Council’s Strategic Priorities to “leverage the Adelaide Park Lands to promote health, wellbeing and lifestyle experiences.”

It would also be consistent with an identified community priority (page 68) to "encourage active use of the city and Park Lands to reduce opportunities for crime and anti-social behaviour." It would also be consistent with previous community feedback (page 100) to "facilitate a range of recreation and sport activities in the City."

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

You can respond to the City Council’s budget consultation by email, or on paper.

Email:   StrategicPlan@cityofadelaide.com.au

Clicking on this email link will open an already-drafted email, which you can choose to amend (if you wish) before sending.

On paper:   Posted to:

Community Consultation
Draft Annual Business Plan and Budget 2022-2023
GPO Box 2252
Adelaide SA 5001

or delivered to the City of Adelaide Customer Centre, 25 Pirie Street, or to any City Council library or community centres, during business hours.  Submissions close 9am Monday 6 June.

Click here to see a short, plain text response which you can copy and paste into a letter, or email, if you wish.

Read more about the City Council’s draft Business Plan and Budget here:

https://yoursay.cityofadelaide.com.au/draft-2022-2023-business-plan-and-budget/