Backflip on ‘mean-spirited’ ban to stop PAC putting a sign on their own bridge

PRINCE Alfred College will be free to display its name and logo on a new footbridge, after the local council backflipped on its “petty” decision.

Artist’s impression of the proposed Prince Alfred College pedestrian bridge.

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PRINCE Alfred College will be free to display its name and logo on a new footbridge after the local council backflipped on a “mean-spirited” decision to ban it from doing so.

Norwood, Payneham & St Peters councillors voted at last week’s meeting to reverse its position prohibiting the school from putting its branding on a bridge to be built over The Parade West.

NP & SP Robert Bria pushed for the ban to be reversed, arguing the basis for his colleagues’ original decision — that council-owned “airspace” should not be used to promote a school — was “petty”.

Cr Sue Whitington agreed, describing the ban as “mean-spirited”.

“(The branding) was a subtle and insignificant element,” Cr Whitington told the meeting.

Cr Mike Stock, who proposed the advertising ban, reaffirmed his stance that the school should only be allowed to advertise on land it owns.

But the majority of elected members supported scrapping the ban — provided the council also be allowed to use the bridge to advertise its own events, such as the Norwood Christmas Pageant.

Cr Paul Wormald said the compromise would be a “win-win” for the school and council.

“(The Parade West) is one of the few, true gateways that we have to our city,” Cr Wormald said.

“It is important that we find inexpensive ways to promote our events.”

Prince Alfred College principal Bradley Fenner last month told the Eastern Courier Messenger the school would respect the council’s decision either way, but stressed the branding was never intended as advertising.

Artist Impression of the proposed Prince Alfred College pedestrian bridge.

The fully-enclosed footbridge — which the school is building and paying for — will link PAC’s middle-school campus to a five-storey boarding house planned for the northeastern side of The Parade West.

Work on the project, which was estimated to cost more than $10 million, was expected to start within months.