This newsletter contains the following items:

• Proposed 40km/h Speed limit in residential streets of Marden, Royston Park, Joslin, St Peters, College Park and Hackney
• Open Space, Playgrounds & Recreation Strategy
• Council Budget 2023-24
• Traffic Matters
• Ultra Tune LED Advertising Sky Sign
• Hackney Hotel Botaniq Redevelopment
• Norwood Ambulance Station
• Vale James Douglas Everett – A History Treasure

The newsletter is available as a PDF for downloading and printing.

Proposed 40km/h Speed limit in residential streets of Marden, Royston Park, Joslin, St Peters, College Park and Hackney

Residents in the area bounded by Lower Portrush Road, Payneham Road, North Terrace, Hackney Road and the River Torrens. should have received a leaflet from Council on the proposed introduction of a 40km/h speed limit on the local streets. Stephen Terrace is not included as this is not a road controlled by Council.

40km/h limits already exist in the Council area east of Portrush Road and south of Payneham Roads.

SPRA has for many years advocated for reduced speed limits on our local streets.

• Any actions that will discourage ‘rat runners’ using the local streets is a good thing.
• 40km/h speed zones are not the complete solution, but a part of it.
• Those who do 60 in the 50 zone now will probably do 50 in a 40 zone – there is still a speed reduction.
• While the speeds will be hard to enforce, Council has purchased a mobile speed detection unit that can be used to educate motorists.
• The reduction will not have a great effect on local residents as the travel distances to main roads is short.
• The same speed limits have been recently implemented in Norwood and Kent Town and have existed for many years in Stepney, Evandale and Maylands.

You are encouraged to have your say by visiting the NPSP website where there are more details and a link to the survey.
The closing date for comments is Monday 21st August 2023.

Open Space, Playgrounds & Recreation Strategy

The Council is developing a new Open Space, Playgrounds & Recreation Strategy to help guide how it manages and invests in its open space, playgrounds, and recreational assets over the short and longer term. Council is surveying the community to understand how:

• it uses the open space areas in the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters
• what types of open space the community prefers
• what the Council needs to consider when planning for the future.

The survey responses will guide the strategic vision and directions of the Open Space, Playgrounds & Recreation Strategy. The Strategy will not look at the design of individual parks but consider how collectively they meet community needs.

For more details and to complete the survey go to
https://www.npsp.sa.gov.au/our_community/community_consultation
Consultation closes 5pm Monday 28 August 2023

Council Budget 2023-24

SPRA made a comprehensive submission on the NPSP 2023-24 Business Plan and Budget prior to the Council setting the rates for the next year.

Our submission particularly pointed to concerns about the Net Financial Liabilities Ratio (NFLR). The NFLR is the ratio of how much the Council owes in comparison with its operating income. The NFLR before Covid was between zero and 30% (2017-18 to 2019-20), during Covid (2020-21 to 2021-22) it was around 30% and, in this budget, it is 75%. The NFLR is projected to rise to around 115% with anticipated borrowings to fund the proposed Payneham Pool redevelopment ($30m?) and the Parade & George Street Streetscapes project ( $30m?).

We understand that the normal NFLR for Councils ranges between 60 and 80% of revenue, with 80% being at the high end.

The full SPRA submission is available.

Residents will by now have received the new rate notices. The leaflet with the notice includes the Mayor’s Message that says – “- - - the Council has adopted a modest residential (average) rate increase of 4% which is below the Consumer Price Index (CPI) f 7.9%”
The leaflet also has a table showing the financial targets in Council’s Long Term Financial Plan (LTFP), and this shows that the target for the NFLR is not met. While the “modest” residential rate increase is welcomed, SPRA has a concern that this will not remain so in the next few years with the large, anticipated borrowings required for various projects.

Traffic Matters

Traffic issues such as speeds, behaviour, safety, and access have always been at the forefront of SPRA’s concerns and activities.

Over the past year we supported residents in First and Second Avenues St Peters, and Richmond Street Hackney who have had issues with ‘rat runners’ and traffic speeds.

Large trucks have also been causing problems for residents in Frederick and Janet Streets Maylands and have been creating damage to the kerbings and footpath paving in the recently completed St Peters Street.

A member who lives on Richmond Street Hackney presented a petition and addressed Council at its July meeting about the inappropriate and dangerous traffic speeds in the street. SPRA President David Cree also addressed Council in support of the petition.

Ultra Tune LED Advertising Sky Sign

The June SPRA Newsletter detailed SPRA concerns about a proposed 10.5m x 3.5m LED advertising sign on the intersection of Stephen Terrace & Payneham Road above the Ultra Tune establishment. The sign is larger than that which towers above the Brittania Hotel.

The application will be considered by the Council Assessment Panel (CAP), probably at the September meeting.

SPRA made a submission on the development application.

Hackney Hotel Botaniq Redevelopment

The Hackney Hotel / Botaniq re-development is currently changing the character of Hackney North and reducing the significance of the State Heritage listed 1883 hotel.

The project includes the construction of 27 apartments, 6 luxury two storey ‘sky lofts’, 15 residential apartments and a retail precinct. The basement carpark will cause even more congestion as it opens onto the very narrow section of Richmond Street.

For photos and plans of the development are available at realestate.com.au

Residents in the adjacent Housing SA units have contacted SPRA and the Council regarding the behaviour of the contractors, rubbish around the site and parking in the private car parks. SPRA has taken up the matter with the developer, who has undertaken to attend to the issues.

Norwood Ambulance Station

The June SPRA Newsletter reported on the proposed Norwood Ambulance Station to be built in Maylands on the Magill & Portrush Roads corner.

The approval authority is the State Government’s own State Commission Assessment Panel (SCAP) and there is no opportunity for any public comment on the proposal. Council can make comments to SCAP, but it seems this is but a courtesy.

SPRA committee members attended the SA Ambulance Service (SAAS) Community Information Session in July and SPRA has since written to SAAS asking for more information on a number of matters. No reply has yet been received.

The questions raised are: -

1. While we understand access to the station will be from Portrush Road with egress onto Adelaide Street which is residential, are there plans to erect any flashing or traffic lights on Adelaide Street or indeed on Magill Road to signify and warn of the emergence of an ambulance onto these streets?
2. Will ambulances always travel via Magill Road, or will they also travel on the residential streets of Maylands?
3. At what point is an ambulance likely to switch on its siren and flashing lights?
4. Has a traffic study has been undertaken for vehicles entering and leaving the station, and if so, what are the conclusions reached?
5. SAAS plans to provide parking for around 40 vehicles at the station, presumably to cater for those days when training is undertaken. What are the expected training numbers and what are the arrangements for managing vehicles when there are persons attending the training whose vehicles cannot be accommodated within the station?
6. When is it likely that a planning application for the station will be submitted to the State Commission Assessment Panel and when is this likely to be considered?
7. What will happen to the Ambulance station currently located on Henry Street, Stepney?

More on this when a reply has been received.

While SPRA appreciates the benefits that this new facility will provide and improve ambulance response time, it should not cause significant disruption to local residents.

Vale James Douglas Everett – A History Treasure

19 January 1943 – 17 June 2023

It was with great sadness that the much cherished and local history identity, James Everett, passed away on the 17 June at Calvary Hospital with his beloved wife Lynette at his side.

He was one of life’s true gentlemen and was a volunteer at the St Peters Heritage Centre for over a decade where his cheerful smile and kindness made a difference in the lives of others. James had three passions in life – God, family and history.

A country boy, he was the only son of George Everett and Mavis Spry and was born on the family farm at Templars which the Everetts had owned since 1850. His pioneering great grandparents established the first Templars Wesleyan Church and successive generations were well known in Gawler.

Almost 100 years later, in 1950 the Everett family sold the farm and moved to 41 Harrow Road, St Peters. James attended East Adelaide Primary School and then Norwood High School followed by the School of Mines where he studied accountancy.

James combined his professional experience of more than 20 years in executive administration at West Terrace Cemetery with a personal passion for sharing his knowledge of South Australian history. He set up the Friends of the West Terrace Cemetery and for many years he highlighted the influence of Wesleyan Methodism and its role in shaping South Australian society in the 19th and early 20th century.

His commitment to the Uniting Church motivated his involvement in recording its history in South Australia with six publications. His book on the beautiful Epworth Building in Pirie Street documented its significant history. As Archivist for the SA Synod of the Uniting Church he ensured that church records were preserved for future generations.

In 1987 until 1992 he was Foundation President of the Campbelltown Historical Society and in 1993 was elected as a member of the City of Campbelltown Council. During this time, he worked tirelessly to preserve Lochend House and the former historic Payneham Cemetery. The Cemeteries and Crematoria Association of SA Incorporated awarded James life membership - the only person recognised in this way by the Association.

Over successive decades, James gave back to the community serving as a board member of Uniting Communities and as Chairman of UnitingCare Adelaide East. He was also trustee of Spicer Cottages in St Peters and a long-serving board member of Kingsborough Homes for the Aged in Norwood, and worked selflessly to ensure that such charitable trusts delivered care to those who needed it.

From 2010, James and I conducted the first historical walks in the historic Payneham Cemetery trying to raise awareness concerning its cultural heritage significance and to save it from overdevelopment. We also conducted walks around St Peters, College Park and Hackney. We also ran the immensely popular guided bus tours that looked at historic sites in Payneham, Glynde, Felixstow and St Peters. For many years, James also helped with walking tours around the local district with the children from East Adelaide School.

God bless him.

Denise Schumann
Local Historian & SPRA Committee Member