Adelaide City Council votes to close Rundle Rd for Illuminate Adelaide winter festival light show
City residents have been caught by surprise by the closure of a key connector road for a winter light show which features a giant Mona Lisa.
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Eastern suburbs commuters will lose a key city connection for almost four months so it can house a light show expected to attract 130,000 people.
Adelaide City Council has voted 8-2 to close Rundle Rd between East Tce and Dequetteville Tce from early next month until September for a key attraction of the Illuminate Adelaide winter festival.
The road will become the site for a large pavilion containing a Turkish-created light display, Ouchhh Studio | Wisdom of AI Light.
The show uses artificial intelligence to create large images, many based on brushstrokes by Renaissance artists such as Leonardo da Vinci. Elected members have questioned why there was not more community consultation before they were asked at short notice to close the road during a meeting on Tuesday night.
A council staff report said Rymill Park was the preferred location but was ruled out because of a $3.5m upgrade due to start in June.
The works, which involves a new electricity transformer, cabling, mains water supply and sewerage, need to be completed before the festival season next March.
Rundle Park also was considered but the pavilion was too big to fit between large gum trees at its western end.
The council-owned former Le Cornu site at North Adelaide, which hosted a van Gogh-themed light show last year, was unavailable because construction had started on a $250m redevelopment project.
The report said Rundle Rd was chosen because it could accommodate the pavilion and would generate business for East End traders.
“Due to the size and complexity of the set up for the exhibition, Rundle Road is required to be closed for five weeks prior to opening to the public,” it said.
Cr Alexander Hyde said he had met with residents and business owners in the East End who were upset they only learnt about the impending closure earlier this month.
“This closure is incredibly disruptive and I share residents’ frustration,” he said.
“It is, however, the least worst option.”
Cr Hyde said the Illuminate Adelaide pavilion on Rundle Rd was expected to attract over one hundred thousand visitors. “This will give local traders a much needed post-Covid boost in their quieter winter months,” he said.
“I do have serious misgivings, however, that this decision was not brought to us before ticket sales begun last week.”
The closure of Rundle Rd would result in the temporary loss of 80 carparks and 17 motorcycle spaces.
The Iluminate Adelaide festival runs throughout July. Last year’s event attracted a total crowd of 300,000 despite inclement weather.
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