Kaufland makes last-ditch bid to buy Richardson Reserve in Adelaide’s northeast
GERMAN supermarket giant Kaufland has offered a last-minute $750,000 sweetener in its controversial bid to buy a public park in Adelaide’s northeastern suburbs. Councillors will vote on the proposal tomorrow night.
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A GERMAN supermarket giant has made a last-minute change to its controversial attempt to buy a reserve in Adelaide’s northeastern suburbs — offering to spend up to $750,000 on a new community park.
Representatives from Kaufland met privately with Tea Tree Gully Council staff and councillors last week to present their revised bid for Richardson Reserve at Wynn Vale.
They said they were willing to spend between $500,000 and $750,000 on a 5000 sqm community park along the reserve’s frontage on Richardson Rd.
The park would include a nature playspace, fenced area for off-leash dogs, fitness equipment and running track.
The offer came as elected members prepared to vote on Tuesday night on whether to accept the original offer of $13.8 million from Kaufland for the reserve, predominantly used by Modbury Vista Soccer Club for training and junior competition.
Kaufland’s unsolicited bid to buy the land triggered an intense and divisive community debate, with Tea Tree Gully councillors and staff members being abused on social media and in public.
More than 1400 people responded to a council survey, while another 1600 signed a petition opposing the sale to Kaufland, which wants the land for a supermarket.
Of the 1434 who filled in the survey, 910 were opposed, 504 were supportive and 20 were neutral.
The three main reasons respondents gave to opposing the sale was the perception there already were enough supermarkets, the reserve should remain for community use and green space was important to preserve.
One councillor, Paul Barbaro, helped lead a community campaign against the proposal, with 200 people registering to attend the meeting at the Tea Tree Gully Civic Centre.
Cr Barbaro failed to have the meeting live-streamed after Kaufland’s lawyers warned the council it risked being sued if defamatory comments were made during a public question time.
He has decided to run against Tea Tree Gully mayor Kevin Knight on the back of the community backlash against the council over Richardson Reserve.
Councillors last Friday received a 1000-page report on Kaufland’s latest offer and the future of Richardson Reserve, including three options for upgrading Modbury Vista’s facilities depending on how they voted.
“Kaufland lodged an updated and final offer with council on 7 August 2018 that proposes the inclusion of a 5000 sqm community park along the Richardson Rd frontage,” it says.
“Kaufland will own the land and undertake construction of the park at its own cost, estimated to be between $500,000 to $750,000 and ongoing maintenance.
“This is in addition to the offer of $13.8 million (excluding GST).”
One option in the council report involved using the $13.8 million received from Kaufland to build a new six-pitch soccer complex with new two-storey clubrooms on land which council bought last year on Greenwith Rd, Golden Grove.
The total cost of the project is estimated between $17.134 and $21.025 million, depending on how many community features such as bike paths, exercise areas, and barbecue shelters are added.
The other two options were based on councillors voting against the Kaufland deal — which is widely expected, particularly with local government elections only three months away.
Both would involve the installation of two artificial soccer pitches on Richardson Reserve, the construction of either one-storey or three-storey clubrooms and the provision of more carparking.
The upgrades would cost between $6.654 million and $7.426 million, with initial funding coming from $1.72 million already secured by Tea Tree Gully Council in government sporting grants.
Modbury Vista made a deputation to council last month, urging it to commit to upgrading Richardson Reserve regardless of how councillors voted on the Kaufland offer.
■ CLARIFICATION: An earlier version of this article said Mayor Kevin Knight met with Kaufland during a trip to Germany in 2014 to see his daughter. Mr Knight says he did not meet with Kaufland executives or discuss Richardson Reserve while in Germany. He says he visited a Kaufland store with his daughter while shopping.