Masterplan: Adelaide City Council has approved spending on $5m ‘sustainable lake, food outlet for Rymill Park

One of the eastern suburbs favourite parks is getting a major makeover that could spell the end to a gross, green problem.

Rymill Park will get a new lake and food outlet as part of multimillion-dollar makeover.

Adelaide City Council has approved spending $5m on a “sustainable” lake which will use stormwater trapped in an upgraded creek.

It also is holding confidential discussions with a private company which will operate the park’s former kiosk, which will undergo extensive renovations.

The two projects will follow a separate $3.1m program which currently is installing new subterranean infrastructure throughout the park so it can host major events.

The work involves new stormwater drainage, water mains connections, electrical cabling and a transformer substation.

It will be completed before next year’s festival season, which will see the large private Fringe operator, Gluttony, return to Rymill Park.

Elected members have voted to proceed with digging up and replacing the existing lake, which was built in the 1960s.

Rymill Park in Adelaide. Picture: MATT LOXTON

Artist’s impressions of the new lake.

Its lining has become prone to leaking while there are regular outbreaks of toxic green algae, rendering it unsuitable for public use such as row boats and remote controlled boats.

Community consultation was conducted on two options – another ornamental lake or the creation of a wetland lagoon.

City services director Tom McCready said 674 people had responded to the draft masterplan.

“Fifty five per cent preferred the wetland, 45 per cent wanted an ornamental lake,” he said.

“Key stakeholders also preferred an ornamental lake.”

Rymill Park enew design.

Mr McCready said a preliminary engineering report had proposed a “hybrid version”, combining the two options.

“We will go out for a design and bring it back to council for consideration so it can serve both purposes,” he said.

According to a staff report, the new lake will “address the deteriorating structure and will be supported by a sustainable (harvested and treated stormwater) water source”.

“Other benefits of this approach include retaining the existing appearance and qualities of the lake,” it said.

“It also reinforces the cultural, historic and social importance of the lake as a place of gathering of families and water-based recreation.”

Rymill Park in 1976.

The report said the sustainable lake would be “more resilient to climate change, drought and hot, dry seasons” than the existing water feature.

Botanic Creek would be upgraded to include small basins, which would trap the water and filter it in reed beds before it went into the lake.

Cr Alexander Hyde told the meeting people in the community would “be devastated if we were to replace the ornamental lake with wetlands”.

“The island is used for events and people like to use the lake to row boats,” he said.

“If people want a wetland they can go in a southerly direction (into Victoria Park) where there are wetlands as far as the eye can see.”