The State Government is proud of achieving 'National Park City' status for Adelaide, but its real values are betrayed by its spending priorities.
Funds provided for Greening Adelaide grants and other Park enhancements are vastly exceeded by funds provided to destroy hundreds of trees and huge tracts of your Open Green Public Park Lands.
The State Government recently announced distribution of "Green Adelaide" grants worth around $1 million annually.
A small proportion of these funds ($31,750) has gone to the Adelaide City Council for a re-vegetation project here in Mistletoe Park / Tainmuntilla (Park 11).
Mistletoe Park / Tainmuntilla (Park 11)
However the money allocated to recently-announced Park Lands-destroying projects is almost 1,000 times greater than this single ‘Green Adelaide’ grant.
Follow the money. Almost $3 billion to destroy Parks, and less than $20 million to enhance Parks.
Among the recent State Government-funded attacks on your Adelaide Park Lands are:
a $1.95 billion new Women’s and Children's Hospital, plus multi-storey car park which would destroy a large part of Park 27 between Port Road and Gaol Road near Thebarton
a $662 million stadium which would obliterate hundreds of trees in Helen Mayo Park; and
a $98 million extension to Botanic High School which would take over most of Frome Park in Park 11
Follow the money to see how the State Government values your Parks.
Funds for Park enhancements, while welcome, are a drop in the ocean by comparison.
New wetlands under construction in Victoria Park / Pakapakanthi (Park 16) and in Blue Gum Park / Kurangga (Park 20) will cost no more than $19 million.
Concept plan for the wetlands under construction off Greenhill Road in Blue Gum Park / Kurangga (Park 20). Image: Brownhill /Keswick Creek Stormwater Project
Of course new hospitals and schools are vital public infrastructure. But they can be placed on alternative sites - locations where they don't chip away at Adelaide's priceless heritage, your world-unique garland of Park Lands.
When there is this much money available for infrastructure, it is vandalism to place new buildings where they will damage something priceless.
Future generations will never be able to reclaim their lost Open Green Public Spaces.
