by Shane Sody

The SA Cricket Association is seeking permission to expand seating around Karen Rolton Oval in your Gladys Elphick Park / Narnungga (Park 25).

The Association has a multi-million dollar three-storey building on this Park (pictured above). The pavilion has hundreds of car parking spaces alongside, and SACA has fenced another area of the Park for practice nets, so that much of this Park is no longer "Open Green Public".

Hundreds of car parking spaces and fenced nets in Gladys Elphick Park / Narnungga (Park 25).

SACA’s latest proposal concerns the eastern side of the Oval, which is outside the area licenced to the Cricket Association. SACA wants to build a shaded viewing area with tiered seating to replace the current earth embankment.

The existing earth embankment on the eastern side of Karen Rolton Oval in Gladys Elphick Park / Narnungga (Park 25). Images supplied on behalf of SACA to Kadaltilla / Park Lands Authority.

SACA is undertaking to cover all the costs, and maintenance, so this would be done at no expense to City ratepayers.

The proposal has been recommended by Kadaltilla / Park Lands Authority and is likely to be approved by the City Council. A briefing paper for a Council Committee meeting on 3 May suggested that there was no need for public consultation on the proposal.

The briefing paper recommended approval on the basis that:

"The enhancement of the eastern mound will provide additional opportunities for people to meet and socialise, escape from the rigours of the city and reconnect with nature. Noting the proximity to the Royal Adelaide Hospital and future Women’s and Children Hospital, the enhancements will provide improved accessibility and features for patients, visitors and event spectators to enjoy the Park and activities / events that occur on the main oval. Improved access to the oval for broader community use when not being programmed.”

The briefing paper continued:

"SACA is seeking approval to undertake the major terracing works prior to the commencement of the 2022/23 cricket season with the shade structures to be installed following the completion of these works.”

Examples of tiered seating provided to Kadaltilla Park Lands Authority by SACA.

However the plan has raised suspicions about the extent of SACA ambitions within this Park.

Author John Bridgland has commented that "this is a classic example of further expansion into the Park Lands simply for the commercial benefit of a cricket club whose occupation of this site is already comprehensive. If SACA succeeds with this plan, it will come back for more."

Subject to a decision at the next Council meeting, and approval of the construction plans by Kadaltilla/Park Lands Authority the Council CEO would be empowered to enter a management agreement with SACA as early as June 2022.

The agreement would NOT extend the Park area that is leased or licenced by SACA so the Cricket Association would have no legal tenure over the newly-transformed area.

Such an agreement would merely ensure that SACA was held responsible for the costs of installing and maintaining the tiered seating and future shade structures.

This area would therefore remain Open Green Public (except on the days of ticketed events at Karen Rolton Oval). Nevertheless, it is not hard to imagine (as Mr Bridgland suggests) that after completion of these proposed works SACA might want to extend its licence area to include the new works.

If that were to occur, it would provide only a belated opportunity for public consultation.