News & Discussion: Squares and Parklands

[SRW]

Not sure if it was the purple pipe that permeates the parklands from the Patawalonga poo permeation procedure.

Haha, good going! #alliteration

[Vee]

The Adelaide Park Lands can be dark and quite scarey at night.
The numerous walking/cycling paths could do with more illumination. Greater use of solar lights is one suggestion, although tree canopy cover reduces effectiveness.

Is this a possibility?
Pros? Cons?

Glow-in-the-dark bike paths (similar to those in Gosford) will be trialled in the ACT.
A glow-in-the-dark (220-metre) bike path designed to provide more efficient and affordable lighting for cyclists is set be trialled at Bruce in Canberra's north.

The paths looks like thick sandpaper and are similar to Canberra's existing green on-road cycle lanes. They are made from a combination of aggregate and minerals that absorb sunlight, providing more than eight hours of illumination after the sun goes down.

"Places such as parks and nature reserves do not have street lighting due to the impact on native fauna and high costs and this technology, which allows the path to emit a soft glow at night, is a great alternative to the more traditional overhead lighting."

"The new path will provide visual guidance and direction to cyclists and other path users when it is dark, ultimately providing a safer trip... Unlike street lighting, the path is also expected to have less interference with the activities of native nocturnal species."

ABC News:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-16/g ... ek/7034686

[Wayno]

that's an interesting idea. Such a path could wind, twist and turn through the entire park lands...

[claybro]

With another heatwave on in Adelaide, surely the benefits of greening the entire parklands belt should be a priority. They say green lawn and LARGE trees can reduce the air temperature in the immediate vicinity by up to 10DEG in comparison to dry exposed ground/ dry grassland or concrete. Using the recycled water pipeline could green the entire parklands, with more lush plantings in pockets-particularly the north Parklands which are dry and barren. The evaporation as the dry north wind passes over a greener and more moist large area would surely help reduce the urban heat island effect of the CBD.

[Nathan]

With another heatwave on in Adelaide, surely the benefits of greening the entire parklands belt should be a priority. They say green lawn and LARGE trees can reduce the air temperature in the immediate vicinity by up to 10DEG in comparison to dry exposed ground/ dry grassland or concrete. Using the recycled water pipeline could green the entire parklands, with more lush plantings in pockets-particularly the north Parklands which are dry and barren. The evaporation as the dry north wind passes over a greener and more moist large area would surely help reduce the urban heat island effect of the CBD.

Having just hung out in the parklands this afternoon (until getting kicked out by a private function), I can confirm the significant difference between the good areas and even the slightly dry areas.

[Wayno]

Yep, agree 100%. I've said the same before Claybro. There's no reason why ALL of the treated Glenelg waste water can't be used to green vast tracts of park lands.

I was actually just thinking about this earlier today.

Only something like 20% of the treated water capacity is currently allocated to businesses and ACC fir the park lands.

State Govt should gift all remaining water to the ACC. Not make them pay.

[omada]

+1 with Wayno & Claybro

The Parklands have been mismanaged for years, someone needs to step up, take responsibility & provide a little vision for this wonderful asset.

[Waewick]

I'm watching another eviction from the parklands which raised a question.

why dont we juat build 4 or 5 basic camping areas for them with water and toilets? I mean they aren't really a problem and if people are worried about them being near family areas becuase some booze is being consumed can't we just put them away from thise facilities?

just seems safer for all concerned.

[rhino]

why dont we juat build 4 or 5 basic camping areas for them with water and toilets? I mean they aren't really a problem and if people are worried about them being near family areas becuase some booze is being consumed can't we just put them away from thise facilities?

There are people who see this homelessness (as opposed to homeless people) as a problem (I grant that there are homeless people who dwell on the streets / in the parklands out of choice), and would view your solution as "hiding the problem where it can't be seen, rather than solving it".

[Waewick]

why dont we juat build 4 or 5 basic camping areas for them with water and toilets? I mean they aren't really a problem and if people are worried about them being near family areas becuase some booze is being consumed can't we just put them away from thise facilities?

There are people who see this homelessness (as opposed to homeless people) as a problem (I grant that there are homeless people who dwell on the streets / in the parklands out of choice), and would view your solution as "hiding the problem where it can't be seen, rather than solving it".

i guess it's a tough one. but it just seems silly to pretend they aren't there and just moving them around.

i guess the council doesn't want to legitimise it.

[phenom]

The politics of the southern parklands is fraught! As someone who has lived near them for a decade and does make use of them regularly for recreation and exercise (and sees how much they actually get used, at least the green bits, despite the perception they are deserted) I've encountered pretty much every behaviour and activity short of finding a dead body.

I know there's a lot of complexities around what essentially amounts to managing substance abusing people who are predominantly Aboriginal. There's just no way of avoiding that if anyone cares to 'manage' the situation but Adelaide councils and many 'community stakeholders' spend an inordinate amount of time trying not to notice what is there because of the (partially legitimate) concern that it will become an ugly discussion rather than an honest attempt to see if there is anything (workable) that can be done to improve things for everybody involved.

For my part, the situation seems better than it used to be - not entirely sure what programs if any are being implemented. If anything, the problems have shifted up towards Hutt Street end. I can see why some people don't feel comfortable around groups of people sitting near playgrounds etc clearly breaking the law in regards to alcohol consumption and - very occasionally - acting in what to some would be threatening ways. I can say in ten years I've only had maybe one occasion where I was subject to seriously inappropriate behaviour (someone wielding a stick decided it might be an idea to try and hit me with it but he was stopped by one of his companions). I've had worse from random road ragers.

That said, I also see people playing sport on the oval who think it's OK to drive their cars on the parklands when it's tinder dry (and no, they didn't have permission) or who publicly urinate near walking/cycling paths (not even bothering to find a tree) when there are open public toilets about a three minute walk away. So there's plenty of bad behaviour going around more generally that doesn't seem to get much airplay because the 'optics' of it aren't as bad.

[Wayno]

We also live in the SE corner of the city and my girlfriend is genuinely freaked by these poor souls. We were working in our front yard on Sunday when a couple of homeless folk walked by at the same time as I lifted my head to rest from digging a hole. I said 'good morning' (as i do to just about everyone who walks past). Typically i'm met with a smile and brief conversation, even from homeless folk, but this time i received a loud and snarling 'go and f*** yourself' as the reply.

The people buying into August Towers will look down onto these folk - either lingering at the Hutt St Homeless Centre or sprawled in the nearby park lands.

If an easy solution existed then it would have been done by now. There is a 24 hour park lands alcohol ban in place which seems to be making inroads to the more crazed behavior. IMHO the local bottle shops should not be allowed to sell alcohol to these people, but freedom of rights n' all will trump that.

[Waewick]

I think I've deralied the thead into a social issue.

There just must be a better way to handle things - I didn't even consider the drugs side of things, the people that were evicted were clearly drinking (well some of them) but other than that seems fairly innoxious.

[claybro]

On the subject of parklands, have just spent the weekend back in Adelaide with a mate from Perth. First time visitor, we spend a lovely day at Glenelg( far and away better than any seaside location in Perth for atmosphere and amenity and without the hurricane force sea breeze of Perth) heading back into the city it was noted how dry and poorly maintained the memorials are. The whole of Anzac highway is a discrace. Worse still the entry to the South westparklands is a shocker, as is the median on west terrace. Come on Adelaide, this route is a major tourist drive. As a memorial avenue, Anzac highway is very poorly maintained. Can't you guys agitate for some irrigation and mowing? Such a minor thing would make such a better impression for locals and tourists alike.

[SRW]

On the subject of parklands, have just spent the weekend back in Adelaide with a mate from Perth. First time visitor, we spend a lovely day at Glenelg( far and away better than any seaside location in Perth for atmosphere and amenity and without the hurricane force sea breeze of Perth) heading back into the city it was noted how dry and poorly maintained the memorials are. The whole of Anzac highway is a discrace. Worse still the entry to the South westparklands is a shocker, as is the median on west terrace. Come on Adelaide, this route is a major tourist drive. As a memorial avenue, Anzac highway is very poorly maintained. Can't you guys agitate for some irrigation and mowing? Such a minor thing would make such a better impression for locals and tourists alike.

Agreed!

Anzac Highway used to be beautifully maintained. I'm not sure why and when exactly, but it seems that it's been left to degrade ever since the last drought. That was a while ago now, so I can't imagine an excuse. Same goes for the south parklands conduit and Greenhill Road.

The West Tce medium itself has been recently upgraded in a water-wise landscaping fashion and is fine for what it is. The barren tram line garden beds down North Tce/Port Rd are not.