Prince Alfred College Old Collegians Football Club set to get new home in Adelaide parklands
Prince Alfred College’s years-long push to rebuild its old collegians’ football club on the parklands is finally about to be approved.
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A private school is poised to get approval for a $2.3 million sporting complex it wants to build in the North Adelaide parklands.
Prince Alfred College has spent six years trying to replace ageing clubrooms for its old collegians’ football club at Bundey’s Paddock.
Players have been based for decades in a besser-block shed the school will pay to demolish and replace with a single-level building near a recently completed playground.
The building will contain toilet facilities that can be used by the public.
Adelaide City Council has drafted a 21-year lease for the site following community consultation, which found most people supported the project.
Among those who objected were residents in nearby Mackinnon Pde, who expressed concern about the clubrooms being used for private functions that created noise and parking issues.
The North Adelaide Society also questioned liquor licensing arrangements for the clubrooms and whether alcohol would be sold after 6pm or at private functions.
In a report to the Adelaide Park Lands Authority, council staff said there was “strong support for retaining the existing liquor license arrangements on Saturdays of between 12 noon and 6pm”.
“It was suggested that this arrangement be stated in the lease agreement and the Community Land Management Plan to ensure it was not extended over the life of the lease agreement.”
Results of the community consultation were presented on Thursday to the Adelaide Park Lands Authority, which asked PAC in 2005 to revise its original plans for the site.
The school subsequently lodged a different concept, where the clubrooms were located nearer MacKinnon Pde.
The council report said the majority of people who responded to surveys agreed the besser-block clubrooms should be replaced with a new facility.
However, some argued that private schools should not hold leases in the parklands and objected to the clubrooms being used at night, especially if alcohol was being sold.
PAC has undertaken to notify residents of any large events at the clubrooms with 250 or more people. It also will provide a calendar each year of sporting fixtures at the ground.
In a letter of support, SANFL infrastructure and community development manager Belinda Marsh said PAC had developed facilities that “reflect a build that is fit-for-purpose and meets the contemporary needs of players and umpires”.
“We commend the Prince Alfred Old Collegians Football Club for persisting with this project to improve the experience for their current members and to attract and retain new members to their club,” she said.
“Their commitment to 100 per cent fund this build is just extraordinary and will be of great value to many users of the park area, not just those involved in organised sport.”
Ms Marsh said the Adelaide parklands were “an important host to our clubs”.
“To have the opportunity to improve the facilities in these locations will be of great benefit to the sporting community and the surrounding residential and visiting community,” she said.
The community feedback will be presented to council elected members next month.
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