Graham Cornes has called on respective parties to come together and get Adelaide’s move to Thebarton Oval done

As Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis reassures residents all 10 Kings Reserve trees in question would not be lost, Adelaide’s inaugural coach Graham Cornes has a message for all parties.

Graham Cornes says he understands residents’ concerns about losing a group trees for the Crows’ Thebarton redevelopment but has called on the respective parties to come together and “just get it done”.

Adelaide and the state government are yet to reach an agreement over the lease boundary for the club’s proposed second oval on Kings Reserve after a commitment from Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis to residents that 10 trees will not all be removed.

Keeping each of the trees could jeopardise AFL funding to the Crows because it would reduce the size of the secondary oval, which was already the minimum dimensions for training.

Koutsantonis remained adamant a lease boundary would be agreed that ensured Adelaide the training ground size it wanted and that all 10 trees would not be lost.

Cornes, Adelaide’s inaugural coach, told this masthead the emotion needed to be removed from the issue.

He noted the redevelopment included the planting of 220 new trees – roughly three for each of the 83 slated to be razed (73 on Thebarton Oval, 10 on Kings Reserve).

“I understand why people are very sensitive about trees,” Cornes said.

“We all love trees and we need more trees, and that’s what the Crows will give those residents – three times as many.

“Let’s just get it (the redevelopment) done”.

Crows players Sarah Allan, Chelsea Randall and Jordan Dawson with John Olsen and Premier Peter Malinauskas. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Cornes said local residents needed a voice – “that’s part of the beauty of democracy” – but minority groups had too much say in this day and age.

“This is a once-off opportunity that there’ll be a magnificent, purpose-built facility for not only the Adelaide Football Club but also the West Torrens residents to share,” he said.

On Thursday night, West Torrens Council approved the Crows’ final masterplan for the precinct for public consultation.

The masterplan includes the removal of 10 trees and an indicative line as the lease’s western boundary, waiting for an agreement between the club and state government.

Of those 10 trees, two are regulated – have a circumference of between 2m and 3m when measured from 1m above ground level – and none are older than 30 years.

Eight have a smaller circumference and are unregulated.

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

Koutsantonis, whose West Torrens electorate included Thebarton Oval, would not give specifics on how an AFL standard secondary oval could fit in the available space without removing the entire group of trees.

He said he had told residents that “one or two” trees might have to go, but losing all 10 would be too much for the community to bear.

“I’m not going to be drawing maps live in an interview, I’m going to leave that to the experts,” Koutsantonis said.

“But I think we can make this work.

“That’s the advice I’ve received from my agency

“I think we can use that lease line that they produced last night and have an oval the size the Crows want and not take out those trees.”

The Thebarton Oval Precinct master plan – landscape and vegetation. Picture: City of West Torrens

The club reduced its proposed secondary oval from MCG-sized to the minimum AFL training dimensions mid-year to ease community concerns, including around tree loss.

Adelaide would temporarily have a smaller secondary oval then expand once transport department land near South Rd became available around 2031.

AFL funding to the club, believed to be between $5m and $6m, required its two grounds to meet minimum dimensions for training of 110m in length and 80m in width.

The state government had agreed to donate $25m for the redevelopment.

West Torrens mayor Michael Coxon told FIVEaa the tree issue was “a matter to be resolved between the state government and the AFC (Crows) as part of the funding agreement”.

Dr Emma Dawes, a member of the 5031 Community Facilities and Greenspaces Action Group, told FIVEaa she was quite confident a solution could be found.

In a statement, Crows chairman John Olsen said the club had been in open and constructive discussions with the state government for a long time.

The council expected the public consultation period to close on November 29 ahead of a last special meeting on December 19.

Originally published as Graham Cornes has called on respective parties to come together and get Adelaide’s move to Thebarton Oval done