Peter Goers: As the Crows fly, Adelaide parklands HQ is a stretch too far

If there is one benefit of the Adelaide Crows moving its headquarters to the aquatic centre, it’s that it’ll appal the “highly cosseted rich North Adelaideans”, Peter Goers writes — but that’s about it.

• Adelaide Aquatic Centre firming as location for Adelaide Crows
• CORNES: Adelaide FC is being left behind but parklands is not the answer
• Council open to Crows new parklands headquarters
• Crows consider shift to new base in Adelaide’s parklands

Some days, try as you might, you can’t even get a traffic fine.

In an act of civil disobedience like Gandhi in a Volvo I’ve been driving along the bus-only lane at the end of Barton Terrace West, North Adelaide.

This has closed North Adelaide to the western suburbs for 31 years.

I want my day in court to say that, because we can’t drive 100m as the crow flies into North Adelaide, we are re-routed through four suburbs, three traffic lights and 1.3km to preserve an enclave of undisturbed privilege for those in the mansions of North Adelaide.

The one good thing about the Adelaide Crows — formerly the Camry Crows — bulldozing Adelaide Aquatic Centre and building their training facilities, administration and entertainment centre on those parklands is that Barton Terrace West will have to re-open to bring in Crows supporters — day and night.

This will appal the highly cosseted rich North Adelaideans. How wonderful.

Adelaide Aquatic Centre may be demolished to make way for the Crows’ HQ

The poor old Crows are like the lost tribe of Israel — the Wandering Jews seeking a home.

This is what happens when a synthetic team is created from all the SANFL clubs not good enough to get into the AFL.

The glorious Power (the PAFC) is the pride of Port Adelaide and has always belonged to the sacred turf of Alberton Oval, among the battlers, and is not only the most successful major club in the history of the glorious game but is taking the game to the world.

The Crows don’t seem to belong anywhere and now want to develop the parklands while also despairing of the SMA developing the parklands with a hotel.

The Crows built their ugly $21 million Taj Mahal in 2009 at Football Park with a huge balcony facing Max Basheer Reserve on which they could present their victorious players to their ageing, generally devastated supporters.

This is now a housing estate.

The last parts of Football Park in West Lakes, taken on March 3

They even built a museum (with no history except for a bobble-headed doll of Tony Modra and a milk carton trophy) but that has been long-closed through lack of interest.

The Crows were trumped by the move to Adelaide Oval. The glorious Power embraced it as the “Portress” and won the first two games there including against the Crows.

The poor old Crows have been sniffing around the parklands for a home among the gum trees. They have such a sense of entitlement.

First there were secret talks to take over Adelaide Uni football oval, then the city council nursery on War Memorial Drive and now they want the Adelaide Aquatic Centre site.

I haven’t been there for 47 years, since I won the silver medal in the 100m “lobster” sculling competition for the Royal Lifesaving Society. Adelaide Aquatic Centre was enclosed in 1985 and only recently renovated.

It’s a beautiful, clean centre with boundless aquatic activities for all ages and stages, a cafe with wood-fired pizza, a shop selling chlorine-resistant togs, lots of lifeguards and someone called Olaf who entertains at children’s parties. It’s used by 700,000 people each year and they learn to swim and swim better and we need that badly. A beautiful centre.

The Crows may destroy that and the surrounding parklands, supported by the council who may allow the Crows to build their nightclub there to replace their much lamented Crows Shed.

Why can’t the Crows stay at West Lakes where they don’t belong and leave the aquatic centre to the people.

The council cannot oppose the Adelaide Oval hotel and support parklands development by the Crows. I’d recommend Tailem Bend for the Crows base.

It’s very fashionable, handy and especially well-served by service stations and a beautiful new hotel the Crows didn’t oppose.

■ Peter Goers can be heard weeknights on ABC Radio Adelaide