Olympic swimmer backs Park restoration
For the second time in two years, a South Australian Olympic hero is spearheading a campaign on behalf of a Park that bears her name.
SA’s first female Olympian, Denise Norton, is speaking up to restore Denise Norton Park / Pardipardinyilla (Park 2), currently targeted by the State Government for a massive new $82 million replacement Aquatic Centre that would destroy dozens of mature trees.
These are the only three sites that the State Government is considering for a new Aquatic Centre - all within Denise Norton Park / Pardipardinyilla (Park 2). But the Government hasn’t reckoned with Denise Norton!
The Park was named "Denise Norton Park" in 2017 to recognise Denise's career as a swimmer, including representing Australia as a teenager at the Helsinki Olympics in 1952.
Denise Norton in 2019 with then-City Councillor (now State MP) Rob Simms at a City Council naming ceremony outside the Aquatic Centre in Denise Norton Park
In 2020, aged 86, Denise was the figurehead of APA's campaign to protect Denise Norton Park from a planned corporate takeover by the AFL, through their local franchise the Adelaide Crows.
In 2020 our campaign to #StandWithDenise was one of the factors that saved Denise Norton Park from a corporate takeover.
Now in 2022 she's come out swinging again, to get Denise Norton Park restored as Open Green Public space. She's called for a new Aquatic Centre to be constructed on a nearby brownfield site.
From left: Denise Norton-Wangel, APA President Shane Sody, and APA Deputy President and Park Ambassador for Denise Norton Park / Pardipardinyilla, Denise’s daughter, Ingrid Wangel, pictured during APA’s Guided Walk within the Park in February 2022.
The State Government is so far refusing to consider the possibility of a win-win for swimmers and your Park Lands. So far, the Government has been resisting calls by APA and others to investigate putting a new Aquatic Centre on any alternative brownfield site in a nearby suburb.
APA has suggested several potential locations nearby, and respondents to our survey consultation have suggested several other potential sites.
You can respond to:
This is what Denise put forward to the State Government's sham "consultation":
Denise Norton-Wangel
“This Park is named after me. Do not put any more buildings or carparks or locked areas on our heritage Parklands. Build on a brown site, not on the lungs of the city.
“Global temperatures are increasing . We have to protect our large trees and open spaces or it will be untenable to exist in a city. One large tree has a large canopy equal to 100 small trees. It is not a 1 big tree for 1 small tree exchange.
“Please build the new aquatic centre anywhere that is NOT on Parklands. Return the old Aquatic Centre site to Parklands.”
Will you back Denise's campaign? If you haven't already done so, please respond to our open-ended survey with your comments and your choice for a new Aquatic Centre site.
Here’s the survey link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KGZ7FKT