Six trees to make way under agreement on revised boundaries at Crows’ new home base

After “weeks of negotiations”, the Crows have reached a compromise with the state government to help reduce the loss of trees in the club’s Thebarton Oval master plan.

Six trees will make way and land acquired for the Torrens to Darlington road project will be encroached under a revised boundary agreement for Adelaide Football Club’s proposed second oval at Thebarton.

The Crows reached a compromise with the state government on Wednesday to help reduce the loss of trees in the middle of Kings Reserve while maintaining a temporary training ground that met AFL standards.

As flagged by this masthead last month, both parties agreed to reorientate the oval, moving its boundary further north towards Ashwin Parade and east into a Department for Infrastructure and Transport (DIT) temporary works zone near South Rd.

The changes ensure only one of a group of 10 trees residents wanted saved in the middle of the reserve, close to a rotunda, will be lost and five others on the northern side will be razed.

Adelaide and the state government were forced to come up with an alternative lease boundary after Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis backed the residents and vowed the 10 trees would not all be removed as part of the club’s $100m Thebarton redevelopment.

Crows players Sarah Allan, Chelsea Randall and Jordan Dawson with John Olsen and The Premier Peter Malinauskas at the Thebarton Oval announcement. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Adelaide chief executive Tim Silvers said Wednesday’s outcome was the culmination of weeks of negotiations.

“We are comfortable with the solution put forward by the Department for Infrastructure and Transport,” Silvers said.

“We’ve been able to adjust the alignment of the secondary oval while retaining its desired size, as well as lessen the impact on the tree canopy.

“Our conversations with the state government have always been open and solution-focused.”

West Torrens Council approved Adelaide’s administration and training base master plan for community consultation in October, awaiting an agreement between the club and state government over a lease boundary.

This masthead revealed last month that the Crows’ AFL funding – believed to be between $5m and $6m – would have been jeopardised if the size of the club’s proposed training oval was reduced.

DIT officials were understood to have previously not supported the idea of impinging its land because that might affect the delivery of the Torrens to Darlington project.

Adelaide always planned to move its training oval into the temporary DIT land once it became available around 2031, but could now edge into it in the redevelopment’s initial phase.

The solution not only protects the tree canopy in the middle of Kings Reserve but maintains more space for the community.

Vision of the Adelaide Football Club’s proposed new training, administration and community precinct at Thebarton Oval. Picture: City Collective

Residents expected the western part of the Crows’ temporary oval would be returned as community land once the club move its training ground east after the Torrens to Darlington project was completed.

“We’re really happy to progress this far, it’s a good compromised win-win solution and a good outcome,” Nicki Dantalis, a member of the 5031 Community Facilities and Greenspaces Action Group, said.

“But we need to remember that some of the land will be returned to the community in about eight years.”

A Transport Minister spokesman said the government was pleased to reach an agreement that met the Crows’ requirements for their temporary oval while preserving most of the 10 trees.

“This is an important project that will benefit both the local and broader community,” the spokesman said.

“We commend the club on its willingness to work positively to achieve this outcome.”

The community consultation period on the club’s master plan ends on Thursday.

West Torrens will decide whether to grant the Crows a lease at the council’s meeting on December 19.

Originally published as Six trees to make way under agreement on revised boundaries at Crows’ new home base