Salisbury is a great melting pot and an appealing place to be | Peter Goers
Sure there’s the odd meth addict but they’re probably visiting from Burnside, writes Peter Goers from the northern suburbs cultural melting pot.
Opinion
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Want to see the world? Go to Salisbury.
This intensely multicultural bailiwick is ideal.
No fewer than 42 nationalities are among the population of 149,214 in the City of Salisbury.
This is appropriate as Salisbury was founded by a highly diligent colonialist, John Harvey, who was a black man – a Scottish African. He began South Australia’s multiculturalism.
John Harvey would be thrilled to see a vigorous population of Africans, Afghans, Indians, Burmese and Vietnamese who add so much to modern Salisbury.
It is a great melting pot and an appealing place to be.
Like many people, I’d often been there to see Len Doof’s famous Christmas light show (the best in the state) at Traverse Ave, Salisbury North.
But there’s much more to Salisbury than Len Doof, although he’s the cherry on a rich cake.
Salisbury has something unique to the world – a Chemist Warehouse opposite another Chemist Warehouse. I went to both.
Salisbury also has the best homewares store in SA, the Afghan store Plusco in beautiful downtown John Street, the main drag.
There’s also a one-man Afghan bazaar in the lane by an Afghan green grocer.
In a nod to the vast, nation-building success of multiculturalism, a Vietnamese refugee owns the most prominent block of shops on John Street which also includes a Polish butcher shop.
John Street has a vibrant, welcoming Muslim quarter including Dubai Gold, a shop glistening with yellow gold and this was the former barber shop owned by glamorous Paula Nagel’s father who ran an SP bookie outfit therein.
John Street has two excellent op shops, restaurants, cafes, specialty stores and an ANZ Bank with an actual teller.
I could’ve kissed that teller and I’m thinking of going to Salisbury to do my banking.
The Salisbury Community Hub, built in 2019, is glorious.
It has a superb library (one of seven in Salisbury), flexible spaces and is bright, light, airy and is highly used by the community.
It’s full of interest and interesting people.
Chief among them is the magnificent mayor Gillian Aldridge. She’s been mayor for 16 years (and will stand again) and on the council for 36 years.
Gillian Aldridge is the same age as Donald Trump and they both wear wigs but that’s where the resemblance ends, fortunately.
Last Tuesday when I met up with Her Worship she was wearing a long platinum blonde wig, a canary yellow blazer, a long white pleated skirt and white sandshoes.
She loves Salisbury. She is Salisbury and Salisbury is brilliantly served by this eccentric, determined, diligent first citizen.
What’s makes her proud?
“I recently conferred citizenship on an Afghan man with all his daughters at university.”
The Salisbury Community Hub, the nerve centre, faces a lovely park, a playground and a small cemetery where Gillian Aldridge’s political rivals may be buried.
No, it’s a charming colonial cemetery. Ye olde Institute Hall has a youth centre attached and heritage buildings nestle in an endlessly developing community.
Salisbury has a $30 million aquatic centre opening this year.
The entire city is blessed with trees, the train line and initiatives promoting affordable housing and relieving homelessness.
It has my favourite restaurant – Barnacle Bill’s – and a plethora of international restaurants and bakeries.
Best of all is the Parabanks Shopping Centre – the best shopping mall in SA. Wow!
From the hills to the sea, Salisbury is a huge council, from Salisbury Heights to St Kilda, from Mawson Lakes to Dry Creek, from Bolivar to Burton, from Para Hills to Paralowie and you can go direct to Direk (wherever that is).
There’s the odd meth addict in Salisbury but they were probably visiting from Burnside.
Take a day trip to Salisbury or move there.
People who knock it have never been there. Gillian Aldridge says,
“You won’t meet better people anywhere”.
Salisbury is the heart of the northern suburbs and doesn’t have Elizabeth’s embarrassingly useless multistorey car park on the highway.
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