Thank you to the representative of the South-East City Residents Association for speaking at the recent meeting about the flow-on effect that development at Cheltenham would have on Victoria Park.
If publicly accessible space at Cheltenham race-track is restricted now, then imagine what will be put up by the combined Horse and Motor Racing industry to bar access to Victoria Park in the future?
The other contingency that the SAJC has to appease is the surrounding residents of Victoria Park and the Adelaide Parklands Preservation Association. They too are in an uproar over planned developments over this potentially World Heritage Listed site.
13th July 2006, The City Messenger
Here is an extract, with kind permission, from the Adelaide Parklands Preservation Association website regarding Victoria Park:
ALERT!
VICTORIA PARK UNDER ATTACK !
The South Australian Jockey Club (SAJC) Board has managed to convince a majority of its members attending to :
(1) SELL CHELTENHAM RACECOURSE - an enormous open space in Adelaide’s western suburbs - and use part of the very substantial proceeds from subdivision and development to
(2) JOIN THE S.A. MOTOR SPORTS BOARD IN ERECTING A MONSTROUS GRANDSTAND IN THE MIDDLE OF VICTORIA PARK.
APPA will be supporting the strong resistance to selling Cheltenham by local resident groups there, because without the sale proceeds the SAJC cannot afford to vandalise Victoria Park.
The grandstand in question would be “two-faced”, looking northeast onto a permanent new motor-racing track, and southwest onto a shortened horse racing course.
APPA will be mounting a strong and continuing campaign against this outrageous Victoria Park proposal by the SAJC Board.
APPA SUPPORTS HORSE RACING IN VICTORIA PARK, IN ITS CURRENT FORM; WE SUPPORT THE CONTINUATION OF HORSE RACING THERE ON A REVISED TRACK; BUT WE WILL NEVER SUPPORT THE ENTRENCHMENT OF MOTOR RACING WITHIN OUR PARKLANDS, AND WE WILL NEVER SUPPORT MULTI-STOREY BUILDINGS IN THE PARKLANDS’ PRECIOUS OPEN SPACE.
A TWO-FACED GRANDSTAND : THAT SAYS IT ALL !
Here is an extract from the Victoria Parklands Redevelopment website:
Summary of Proposed Changes
SAJC (the South Australian Jockey Club) has proposed to redevelop Victoria park race course, it is expected that:
· The Adelaide City council will refurbish the old grand stand and carry out some other minor works on the site.
· The SAJC will allocate some of the proceeds from the sale of the Cheltenham Race Course to the redevelopment of the course.
· The SAJC will not have sufficient funds for the project.
· The South Australian Government will be required to invest the balance.
· To make it attractive to the Government the SAJC proposes a multifunction facility.
This facility includes:
· A permanent car racing track in the north eastern section of the Park.
· A multi functional grand stand in the middle of the existing Park.
· An upgraded track which will not be accessible by the public.
· Provision for other functions in the park
So what does this mean to you as a park user?
· It will no longer be a space easily accessed and used by all for a large variety of personal uses.
· You will have limited access to the park.
· You will not be able to use the horse track.
· Car racing will become a permanent part of the use of the Park.
· The nature of the park will be permanently changed.
· More functions which will limit you use of the park.
If we joined together with these groups to help save Cheltenham Park Racecourse and Victoria Park from redevelopment, what a mighty voice we will make:
 |
VICTORIA
PARK CONSULTATION Summary of Results (PDF 373Kb) Visit Adelaide Parklands Preservation Association's website |
||