Adelaide City Council to develop new plan to support traders
The Adelaide Aquatic Centre and other community facilities could close in light of the coronavirus outbreak, while its business as usual for the Central Market and Rundle Mall.
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Adelaide City Council will investigate payment plans and reducing the cost of fees and permits to help its ratepayers through the coronavirus crisis.
Adelaide Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor said the council was working through how it could help residents and business owners overcome the social, cultural and economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, while at the same time protecting people from contracting the disease.
Suggestions at a council meeting last night included an anti-racism campaign, extending payment plans, community campaigns to support those in self-isolation and working with precinct groups to activate streets in the future.
“There have been various discussions of what we could do … it might be payment plans, it might be reduced fees and permits and things like that,” Ms Verschoor said.
“It is just being aware that there are a lot of businesses and residents under pressure at the moment and we want to be able to respond.”
Staff at the meeting also said the North Adelaide Aquatic Centre, CBD libraries and community centres could be temporarily closed in the near future.
Ms Verschoor said the council was working through what would trigger the closure of a community facility.
It comes as Burnside Council announced it would close all non-essential services, including its library and the Tusmore wading pool, from Wednesday.
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Meanwhile, the Adelaide Central Market will remain open, but with extra cleaning, hand sanitising stations, less seating and a ban on reusable coffee cups and containers.
Adelaide Central Market general manager Jodie Kannane encouraged people to not forget about the market.
“Support our traders and the extensive network of small businesses who supply our Market, in what has been a very challenging start to the year for small businesses,” Ms Kannane said.
Rundle Mall Management Authority general manager Johanna Williams said the mall would remain open unless advised otherwise.
“We have increased resources dedicated to cleaning the mall and introduced measures to improve efficiency and frequency, ensuring the mall is an even cleaner and safer environment for traders, shoppers and visitors,” she said.