Fences going up; not coming down
by Shane Sody
This is a tale of two fences. One, a fence that is about to be installed around a playing field in your Park Lands - the other a fence that is earmarked for removal - one day, sometime ……
Kadaltilla / The Adelaide Park Lands Authority has recommended that the City Council approve new fencing around a soccer field in your Ellis Park / Tampawardli (Park 24).
The Adelaide Comets soccer club wants the fencing installed to meet the requirements of soccer’s Premier League.
The club already has access to Premier League standard facilities at Mile End and Gepps Cross, but they’ve been awarded $1.75 million in State Government funding to “upgrade” this part of your Park Lands.
Much of the funding has already been spent on new lighting, improved grass surface, and irrigation.
The remainder (waiting for City Council approval) is earmarked to install grassed mounds for spectators, new storage facilities (behind the club’s two-storey $3 million clubhouse) and the new fences.
Sample images of the proposed fence types. Left: Retractable nets for behind the goals. Right: permanent black fencing, 1.1 metres high, around the playing field. Pics: Kadaltilla / Park Lands Authority agenda - 23 November 2023.
It’s proposed that the fence would feature six gates which would be closed only on game days - open every other day. In addition, on game days there would be temporary, higher fencing installed around the spectator perimeter.
A new permanent “storage zone” proposed for the rear of the existing $3 million two-storey clubhouse, to store game-day “player boxes” and “media box”.
In recent years the Adelaide Comets have been very successful in attracting State Government grants.
Their $3 million two-storey clubhouse, gym and function centre was built in 2017, with a $3 million State Government grant. It replaced two smaller sheds.
Fencing NOT coming down
While the Adelaide Comets fencing project has been proceeding smoothly (with the benefit of State Government funding) there has been very little progress in removing an unnecessary fence that is hindering your access to Helen Mayo Park (in Park 27).
Early this year, we asked the City of Adelaide why this fence (pictured below) remained in Helen Mayo Park (Park 27), when it was clearly serving no purpose except to block access between the riverbank Park Lands Trail and the picnic area of Helen Mayo Park on higher ground.
After raising the issue in February 2023, we were informed in June 2023 that after checking with State Government agencies, there was no need to retain the fence and it could be removed.
On 28 November 2023, in response to follow-up inquiries we were told that the City Council was seeking quotes for removal of the fence, and once the costs had been ascertained “we would seek to have the works prioritised as soon as possible.”
It’s unlikely that the cost of this work would have been foreseen in the City Council’s budget.
Therefore, we’ve asked whether APA volunteers could help remove the fence!