PAC bridge ban makes no sense and should be scrapped, says NP&SP Mayor Robert Bria
A BAN on Prince Alfred College displaying its name and logo on a footbridge — because it does not own the “airspace” — should be scrapped, according to mayor whose council voted for the restriction.
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A BAN on Prince Alfred College displaying its name and logo on a footbridge “makes no sense” and should be scrapped, according to the mayor whose council voted to introduce the restriction.
Norwood, Payneham & St Peters Mayor Robert Bria will, at next month’s meeting, ask his colleagues to reverse a decision prohibiting PAC from putting branding on a new bridge to be built over The Parade West in Kent Town.
Mr Bria — who, as mayor, does not participate in votes unless elected members are deadlocked — disagreed with the view that PAC should be barred from using council-owned “airspace” to promote the school.
“I am still trying to understand how the name and logo of the school on the footbridge can be considered advertising,” Mr Bria told the Eastern Courier Messenger.
“Local schools are important stakeholders in our community and, in recent years, we have undertaken a number of positive initiatives to strengthen our relationship with them.
“It makes no sense, therefore, for council to dig its heels in and offend PAC by refusing their very reasonable request to have their name and logo on infrastructure they have paid for.”
The council’s decision last week drew criticism from state MPs Dennis Hood and John Darley, who said the “unreasonable” ban was “exactly the thing that infuriates people about local government”.
New NP&SP councillor Mike Stock, who proposed the advertising ban, last week reiterated his support from the restriction.
Cr Stock said the ban was a “reasonable compromise” after NP&SP staff had indicated the council was entitled to charge PAC a fee to “occupy the airspace”.
“The school is more than welcome to advertise on the sides of the bridge, on their land,” Cr Stock said.
PAC principal Bradley Fenner was pleased with Mr Bria’s push to overturn the ban.
“It (school branding) was never intended to be advertising … it was just a statement of who we are,” Mr Fenner.
The school is building and paying for the footbridge to connect its middle school campus to a five-storey boarding house planned for the northeastern side of The Parade West.
The fully-enclosed bridge would be exclusively for staff and students.