Adelaide Crows withdraw plan to build headquarters on the parklands in North Adelaide
The Adelaide Football Club has formally withdrawn its plan to demolish the Aquatic Centre and build a new headquarters in the North Adelaide parklands.
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The Adelaide Crows have shelved plans to demolish the Aquatic Centre and build a $65 million training and administration complex in North Adelaide.
The club announced it had contacted Adelaide City Council to withdraw the plan, which had been opposed by parklands preservation supporters.
The council now faces repair and upgrade bills of up to $15 million to bring the ageing centre up to scratch.
Adelaide Football Club’s chief executive Andrew Fagan said tough economic conditions created by the COVID-19 pandemic meant the side was “not in a position to advance to stage two”.
“We are extremely disappointed to officially withdraw our proposal however, we cannot meet the required obligations of the formal process right now,” Mr Fagan said.
“We have done an extraordinary amount of work … and we still consider the proposal to be compelling and one that is positive for the community, football club and council. I like to think that by 2021 we might be able to revisit the opportunity should it remain a viable option.”
The Crows released draft plans for a training and administration complex to the public in December last year.
The building, which would have been within the existing footprint of the Aquatic Centre, would have been no higher than two storeys and separated into three integrated sections – a new aquatic centre, community building and training and administration building.
It also included an eight-lane, 50m pool, a children’s pool and splash area and unfenced ovals, where the Crows would train. Some land would have been returned to the Parklands. The council could now have to spend up to $15 million to bring the centre up to scratch. But that would do little to improve services or reduce its burden on ratepayers, a report into the site said.
Issues with the centre, which is visited by 715,000 people each year, include concrete damage and rust.
Adelaide City Council Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor said the council would discuss community consultation findings into the Aquatic Centre and its role in the community on Tuesday. “Then (we will) have a look at what the scope of what Aquatic facilities might look like going forward,” Ms Verschoor said.
Mr Fagan’s announcement came after the council released consultation findings on the proposal, with 59 per cent of the 2051 respondents in support of the proposal.
Adelaide Park Lands Preservation Association president Shane Sody was pleased the plans had been pulled.
