by Shane Sody

We've recently reported on two small improvements to access within your Park Lands.

We've welcomed the long-overdue removal of a 300-metre-long old fence in your Helen Mayo Park.

Likewise, Park lovers have welcomed the long-delayed restoration of a pedestrian and cycling route between two north-western parks.

However, access to other parts of your Park Lands seems to be denied for longer and longer periods of time.

Adelaide City Council has confirmed that your Victoria Park / Pakapakanthi (Park 16) has public access at least partially restricted for a total of 26 weeks each year. The demands of motor racing account for most of that time.

Next weekend's 'Gather Round' of the AFL prompted the fencing off of Elder Park (in Park 26) from 12 March, more than three weeks before the round was due to begin on 4 April.

Most of your Kate Cocks Park has been fenced off for construction of the new Women's and Children's Hospital and destruction of an adjacent she-oak and olive forest.

It will be the best part of a decade before some other, adjacent parts of your Park Lands might be free of this Government infrastructure.

We welcome short-term events in your Park Lands but the longer that your Park Lands are fenced off, the less they are 'Open, Green, Public.'

Not just events - but buildings, too.

There is never any shortage of people and groups who want to have parts of your Park Lands reserved for their members, supporters or paying customers.

This tension has existed ever since your Park Lands were established in 1837, although the pressure for private, exclusive use has been growing in recent years, aided and abetted by a State Government routinely allocating millions of dollars for private facilities on your Park Lands.

In recent years, armed with State Government funding, sports groups such as:

• Adelaide Comets soccer club in Park 24;

• West Adelaide soccer club in Park 27B;

• Adelaide Lutheran Sports Club in Park 21 West; and

• Prince Alfred Old Collegians in Park 9

have each staked their claim to larger and more luxurious private club facilities alongside their licenced playing areas in your Park Lands.

These new larger buildings also lead to demands for more car parking on your Park Lands.

Journalist John Bridgland has compiled this analysis:

• “Public money likely to pay for select group of park lands sports clubs’ building replacements” (PDF, 4 pages, 10.2 Mb)