Adelaide Crows told to publicly release Aquatic Centre plans or build elsewhere

An Adelaide City councillor has given the Crows an ultimatum – release plans for the Aquatic Centre in the next four weeks or risk having their proposal knocked back.

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Adelaide Football Club could be called upon to publicly release its plans to build a new $65 million headquarters in North Adelaide or risk it being knocked back.

Adelaide City councillor Mary Couros wants the club to be forced to reveal its vision for a new training and administration complex by December 10 – the council’s last meeting of the year year – ready for consultation in January.

If the Crows fail to meet this deadline, she wants the council to refuse the plans.

“The lack of information has created a vacuum for extremist groups that want to see no use of the parklands,” Cr Couros said.

“Deadlines will bring the discussion to the public (and allows them) to be informed correctly.”

She said public angst about the development had to be addressed, so releasing plans showed the club was “serious” about the complex.

Cr Couros’s proposal is expected to be discussed by the council on Tuesday night.

Adelaide City in June gave the Crows permission to start designing concept plans for a training and administration complex at the council-owned Aquatic Centre.

It agreed in September to start a needs analysis report assessing the current usage of the Adelaide Aquatic Centre still underway.

Cr Couros has asked for that report to be released with the plans.

Adelaide Park Lands Preservation Association president Shane Sody said the needs analysis should not be fast-tracked. .

“The Park Lands Authority has not even been consulted,” Mr Sody said.

“This is evidence that the council is not serious about examining any option other than the commercialisation of Denise Norton Park.”

Meanwhile, Cr Anne Moran has lodged a similar proposal with the council, except she wants the club to bring in concept plans to make sure the club is heading in the “right direction”.

She wanted those plans – which do not have to be detailed – released to the public.

“Without breaking confidentiality, the plan they showed us will not be satisfactory and the club would be potentially wasting their time and spending money on expensive drawings – the public will say they are going down the wrong track,” Cr Moran said.

However, she said she would not support Cr Couros’ proposal because consultation would happen at a time that people could be away for Christmas.

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Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor hoped to see the plans by the end of the year because she wanted “everything out in the open as soon as possible”.

The City reported last month that the Adelaide Park Lands Preservation Association and South Australia’s first female Olympic swimmer, Denise Norton, had put together a video surrounding the secrecy of the club’s plans.

Ms Norton has opposed the complex, vowing to “stand in front of bulldozers” before letting the AFL side take over the site, which is in a park named after her.

Adelaide Crows chief executive Andrew Fagan said the club’s plans were “progressing well”.

“We have been engaging with council regularly and look forward to the opportunity to offer an update,” Mr Fagan said.

Adelaide Park Lands Preservation Association was contacted for comment.