Sporting Leases to be rolled over
by Shane Sody
Kadaltilla / the Park Lands Authority has signed off on new five-year extensions to each one of seven different privately-leased areas of your Park Lands.
Last year, the City of Adelaide invited “Expressions of Interest” for eight sites, each of which has been used for many years by particular schools and sporting clubs.
After the Expressions of Interest were received and evaluated, no new lessees were approved. Pending endorsement by the City Council, seven lessees each will be offered five-year extensions to their current terms.
South Park Lands Hockey & Tennis Consortium (park 20) Buildings, tennis courts and hockey pitch
South Australian Dog Obedience Club (PARK 17)
Building and lawned area
SA United Church Netball Association (PARK 22)
Building and netball courts
Wilderness School (PARK 6)
Buildings, playing fields, tennis and netball courts
ROWING SHEDS (PARK 26)
PEMBROKE, SCOTCH COLLEGE, UNLEY & NORWOOD HIGH SCHOOLS
Nine expressions of interest were all favourably reviewed in terms of "community benefit". In each case, the organisation concerned was approved on the basis that:
Community level sport is predominantly provided
All year-round use is demonstrated
Show a willingness to share the facility with other users
The number of participants/memberships
Can co-exist with informal recreation opportunities
Mixed-gender within participants
Diversity of activities
Provides sub-leasing opportunities to contribute to various sporting opportunities.
Shows the ability to partner with the City of Adelaide to develop new and improved community sporting facilities.
A briefing paper prepared for Kadaltilla / Park Lands Authority advises that these proposed renewed leasing arrangements are consistent with the Park Lands Management Strategy and the Park Lands Community Land Management Plan.
Only one area to be licenced and leased was subject to any competition.
(PARK 15) Building and playing field
This area in King Rodney Park / Ityamai-itpina (Park 15) has been used for many years by Prince Alfred College. Like the others above, PAC was seeking to roll over its long-term lease and licence. However it faced competition, with a rival bid from Goodwood Cricket Club and Goodwood Saints Football Club.
Kadaltilla/ Park Lands Authority did not recommend either be approved, but (after hearing a deputation from Jordan Dodd of the Goodwood clubs) sought further discussion with both bidders.
How much money is involved?
The briefing paper reveals that "the eight leases will deliver $50,496 in annual revenue in the 2024/25 financial year, indexed annually for the next five years.”
What do they pay?
Building Rent is set at $55 per square metre, discounted by 70% (educational institutions) and 80% (community recreation and sport organisations) and reviewed annually by 4%.
Sporting facilities licence fees are revised annually, in the City of Adelaide’s list of Fees and Charges. In 2023-24 these fees were: $1,530.90 per hectare for educational institutions, or $765.40 per hectare for clubs and associations. These are the discounted fees that apply when the sporting fields are maintained (e.g. watered and mowed) by the licence holder. In each case there is also a payment of $1,090 for an annual lease "administration fee".
What do they get for their money?
Each lessee gets exclusive rights to the (leased) buiding, and has first right of use (a "licence") over any associated sporting field. However these sporting fields remain open to the public when not in use for the lessee's own organised sport.
What next?
The matter is not yet finalised. The Kadaltilla / Park Lands Authority recommendation will go to the City of Adelaide "Community Services and Culture Committee" on Tuesday 5 March, and from there to a later meeting of the City Council itself.
This story was amended on 9 March 2024, to correct a mistake in regard to the leases/licences in Park 15. The earlier version of the story incorrectly stated that the Goodwood clubs had been unsuccessful and that PAC had their leases/licences approved.