by Shane Sody
You are enduring the worst wave of tree destruction in your Adelaide Park Lands in the past 160 years.
Dozens of trees have been destroyed in each of two separate Parks, because the State Government has consistently refused to consider any brownfield site for needed new infrastructure.
Despite appeals from thousands of South Australians, and the objections of the Australian Heritage Council, the State Government this week brought in chainsaws and bulldozers to destroy these heritage olive trees and eucalypts off Gaol Road, in your Kate Cocks Park (part of Park 27).
Pics: “Richie Eightlegs” (Facebook)
These trees have been brought down to make way for what will be the first stage of construction of the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
In 2022, the State Government ignored expert advice recommending other non-Park Lands sites for the new hospital.
This week’s tree destruction, near the old Adelaide Gaol, will soon be followed by even more destruction of about 50 more she-oak and historic olive trees (pictured below) that are precariously still surviving, for now, closer to Port Road. They, too, will soon be gone to make way for a new eight-storey car park on your Park Lands.
The BS postscript
The Premier has made the absurd claim that putting a six-storey hospital and an eight-storey car park onto your Park Lands will magically make more Park Lands "accessible."
The reality is that adjacent areas of your Park Lands are being held hostage - fenced off from you - simply so that the State Government can make them "accessible" after building next to them. https://www.adelaide-parklands.asn.au/blog/2022/10/19/restoration-challenge-issued
Less than three months ago….
This latest round of Park Lands destruction comes less than three months after the State Government destroyed dozens of other trees to make way for a new commercial Aquatic Centre in your Denise Norton Park / Pardipardinyilla (Park 2),
On Monday 13 November, 2023, the State Government broke four of its own promises, and hacked down dozens of mature trees, in defiance of more than 8,000 people who had signed a petition calling for an alternative, win-win brownfield site for a new Aquatic Centre.
Site works off Jeffcott Road have now forced the closure of a shared-use pedestrian/cycling path for the next two years:
The area enclosed by the fence has expanded to include the cycling/pedestrian path beside Jeffcott Road.
Image: Dept of Infrastructure and Transport
The State Government has warned that;
“…noise and dust may be noticed as the bulk earthworks commence. A range of control measures will be used including noise monitoring, watering of work areas, and covering of soil stockpiles, where appropriate. Works will be between the hours of 7am to 7pm .”
After stripping away all trees from the construction site, this is what’s left.
The Aquatic Centre attack on your Park Lands was authorised by both the State Government AND a crucial deciding vote of the Lord Mayor, last year, which broke a 4-4 deadlock on the City Council.
In approving this attack, both the Premier and the Lord Mayor rejected the wishes of more than 8,000 people who signed a petition, to “Save These Trees - Choose a Brownfield Site for New Aquatic Centre.”
LEFT: The Lord Mayor, on 27 July 2023, receiving what was, at that time, 5,100 signatures from APA President Shane Sody and Deputy President, Ben Ayris.
RIGHT: The Premier, on 26 September 2023, receiving what was, at that time, 7,500 signatures.
The State Government also seems to have ignored a report from a Parliamentary Inquiry which called for “urgent action” to save mature trees throughout Adelaide.
Better, win-win ideas
Read more about how we fought for two years to get a win-win outcome for swimmers AND your Park Lands.
Read more about what would have been a much better alternative for the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
