Marion Council to spend $18 million over 10 years on ‘streetscaping’ to bring up standard of local roads
A SUBURBAN council plans to spend tens of millions of dollars to beautify its streets and make its suburbs look more like its leafy neighbours.
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MARION Council will spend $18 million over the next 10 years to bring the appearance of its streets up to the standard of those in Adelaide’s best suburbs.
Councillors last week voted to spend $1.8 million a year on a program of works to improve the look of local streets, such as new street trees, gardens, paving, benches, lighting, signs and public art.
The first streets to get a makeover will be Alawoona Ave in Mitchell Park and Finniss St in Marion.
Seventeen other streets, including main roads, will be upgraded between this year and 2027.
Mayor Kris Hanna said suburbs not far from his council’s boundaries, such as Colonel Light Gardens, were known as “garden suburbs” and that image could be emulated in Marion.
“At least some parts of our council area will get that reputation over the next few years,” Mr Hanna said.
He said improving the appearance of Marion’s suburban streets had been talked about for a long time by previous councils but they “did absolutely nothing”.
“We’ve committed $1.8 million to it (this coming year),” he said.
Councillors voted to prioritise which streets would be done first according to the benefit the streetscaping would have on local residents and traffic. From there, it would be allocated according to which ward they were in to spread the work throughout the council.
Cr Tim Gard said if the council went purely by which streets most needed improvement, then residents in some suburbs would not see any work in their area for a long time.
“We must at least give some credibility to the arrangement to the people missing out,” Cr Gard said.
Funding for new and replacement street trees will increase by $200,000 in the 2017/18 draft budget, also approved last week.
The council will try to recoup some of its spending by applying for State Government grants.
It also proposes increasing rates on average by 2.2 per cent to $1411 for a surplus of $5.7 million.
“It does compare favourably with what other councils are suggesting,” Mr Hanna said.
Holdfast Bay, West Torrens and Mitcham councils’ draft budgets all propose rate rises of between 2.5 and 2.9 per cent.
The largest new projects in the Marion draft budget include the $8 million Edwardstown Oval upgrade, which the council has committed $3.7 million to, and $800,000 for a new BMX track in O’Halloran Hill.
Staff costs will increase by 2 per cent to $34.2 million, out of a total of $81.7 million in expenses.
Streets to be beautified
2017/18: Alawoona Ave, Mitchell Park; Finniss St, Marion.
2018/19: Railway Tce, Edwardstown; Heron Way, Hallett Cove.
2019/20: Birch Cres, Clovelly Park; Warracowie Way, Oaklands Park; Bray St, Morphettville.
2020/21: Morphett Rd, Seacombe Heights.
2021/22: Perry Barr Rd, Hallett Cove; Tonsley Greenway, Tonsley.
2022/23: Winifred Ave and Chitral Tce, South Plympton; Diagonal Rd, Oaklands Park.
2023/24: Oaklands Rd, Marion; Patpa Drive, Hallett Cove.
2024/25: Newland Ave and Sherlock Rd, Marino; Lindsay Ave, Edwardstown.
2025/26: Folkestone Rd, Dover Gardens; Scholefield Rd, Seacliff Park; Patpa Drive, Hallett Cove.
2026/27: Hendrie St, Morphettville.