Golden Wattle Park proposed to turn into a community sporting hub
IT’s one of the bleakest parts of the Adelaide parklands — but this corner of the CBD is earmarked to undergo a huge renewal.
ONE of the bleakest parts of the Adelaide parklands is set to be transformed into a community sporting hub.
Golden Wattle Park/Mirnu Wirra — also known as Park 21 West, on the corner of South Tce and Goodwood Rd as it turns into West Tce — is earmarked to become a hub incorporating footy, cricket, soccer and ultimate frisbee, alongside improved landscaping.
Adelaide City Council will on Thursday ask the Adelaide Park Lands Authority for the all-clear to begin to community engagement on a concept plan for the park.
The concept plan includes tearing down the existing building and creating a centralised fit for purpose-built, two-level community sports pavilion and multipurpose sports fields — that can accommodate three footy and cricket ovals, four to six soccer fields and up to six ultimate frisbee fields.
It also includes lighting for all fields, a 150-space carpark, picnic facilities, shelters, grassed mounding and a “biodiversity interpretative education hub”.
It proposes realigning the parklands trail to link up with community sports facilities on neighbouring Park 22.
Adelaide Lutheran Sports Recreation Association, which uses the site as the head lessee, will fund the new community sports pavilion, according to documents to go to the Authority this week.
The Adelaide Lutheran Sports Club says that more than 40 new women’s and juniors’ team could potentially be added in the future to meet expected demand.
The council says the project will contribute to the Adelaide Park Lands Management Strategy target of increasing organised sport participation by 10 per cent.
Ultimate frisbee player Ailsa Enting-Hawke said it would give the growing sport, which just opened a club in West Adelaide, a place to call home.
“Because we don’t really have a heart location the league gets moved around a lot,” she said.
“This is such a central location, it would really appeal to so many people.”
Adelaide Park Lands Preservation Association president Shane Sody said there was no problem with upgraded sporting facilities but was concerned the sports pavilion would be used for private activities.
“A couple of these requests have been accepted so everyone is trying to get the same deal,” he said.
