Liberals promise to top up funding for reservoirs for our enjoyment
Public reaction to reservoir openings has been so good that the Liberals have promised $12m to add more shelters, boardwalks and trails for the public.
State Election
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Five South Australian reservoirs will undergo $12m worth of upgrades to open up more activities and improve the visitor experience, under a re-elected Liberal state government.
As part of the plan, announced on Sunday, $3.5m would be spent on creating extra carparking, additional toilets and more picnic shelters at Happy Valley Reservoir.
Myponga Reservoir will receive a $3m boost to build a new boardwalk and trails around the new waterbird conservation zone.
Mount Bold Reservoir will undergo a $2.5m transformation, while $1m will go towards improving the Hope Valley Reservoir and $2m will pay for an upgrade of Beetaloo Reserve, in the Flinders Ranges.
All projects are expected to be completed during the next four-year term of government, likely starting with the Happy Valley initiative.
Premier Steven Marshall said his government’s “Opening Up Our Reservoirs” program had been a huge success, with more than 400,000 visitors visiting the sites since the first reservoir at Myponga was opened in 2019.
Happy Valley resident Teresa O’Brien, 52, of Happy Valley, welcomed the promised upgrades.
“Anything that encourages people to get outdoors...is a great idea,” she said.
Meanwhile, Adelaide could tap into more than $300m a year, linked directly to 320,000 hotel bed nights, if the Liberal’s $662m Riverbank Arena goes ahead, new analysis has revealed.
Analysis by Adelaide Venue Management shows the city is missing out on more than 80 national and international conventions and business events because it does not have a facility able to cater for them.
Mr Marshall said the $300m figure was “conservative” and it did not include money visitors would spend at local businesses.
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