Adelaide City Council to revive western parklands

THE Bonython Park boat pond has been refilled for the first time in five years as part of an Adelaide City Council project to revive the parklands.

THE Bonython Park boat pond has been refilled for the first time in five years to revive the western parklands.

The boat pond - which had been empty since being drained in 2006 due to water restrictions - will now once again be home to the treasured Sunday model boat races, which have drawn crowds of families since 1962.

The pond has been re-lined and refilled with recycled water, and is stage one of the council's Bonython Park Activity Hub project, which will be rolled out over the next few years as funding becomes available.

Among the plans are two new playgrounds, a jogging trail, shaded picnic and barbecue areas, reopening and upgrading the park's kiosk, and a link to the Parklands Trail.

Adelaide Model Power Boat Club spokesman Wayne Schutte, who has attended the boat races since the inaugural Australian Model Boat Championship in 1973, said the club was excited to see the pond refilled.

"Now that the pond is restored it means we're able to come back to the middle of the parklands and start racing again," he said.