$8m Gawler Town Hall upgrade in doubt

Gawler Mayor Brian Sambell out the front of the Gawler Town Hall. Picture: Roy Van Der Vegt Source: adelaidenow

AN $8 million plan to create an arts and social hub at Gawler Town Hall is in doubt because of a lack of federal funding.

Gawler Council's application for a $5 million grant was rejected late last month.

The project would include renovating the heritage Town Hall and Institute buildings to include an expanded multi-media library, performance space, heritage exhibition gallery, business services, tourism centre and cafe.

Gawler Deputy Mayor David Hughes said the council was still hopeful of securing funding.

"There may be another funding round announced," Cr Hughes said.

"We're looking to see what other funding opportunities come up.

"We really do need a major grant to assist with the project."

He said about a third of the buildings were in active use and once renovated would provide a perfect space for the hub.

"It's a fantastic project," Cr Hughes said.

He said about 80,000 people used services in the town and the project would "bind our main street".

"It will bring the whole of the town centre alive."

The council has pledged $1 million to the project and was hoping to secure a further $1.5 million in partnership with local business and government groups.

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Feds reject Modbury to Gawler bike path bid

Tea Tree Gully Mayor Miriam Smith has backed plans for a 20km bike path from Modbury to Gawler. Picture: Luke Hemer Source: adelaidenow

PLANS for a cycling trail linking Adelaide's northeast suburbs to the Barossa Valley have failed to win Federal Government support.

Tea Tree Gully Council's bid for $4.5 million Regional Development Australia funding for the project was rejected by the government last month.

The grant would have funded a 20km bike path from Modbury to Gawler which connected to the existing trail from Gawler to Tanunda.

Gully Mayor Miriam Smith said the project would provide a missing link for cyclists riding from Adelaide to the Barossa.

"I've been driving this project because the River Torrens Linear Trail ends on the eastern side of Tea Tree Gully with nowhere else to go," Ms Smith said.

"There's a gap between Modbury and Gawler.

"If we connected them it would make the track one of the largest in the world."

Early plans for the trail indicated it would pass through Golden Grove and along One Tree Hill Rd to Gawler.

Ms Smith said Gawler and Playford councils had already given in principle support to the project.

She said she would lobby the State Government to support the proposal and urge the council to again apply for federal funding.

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Gawler Place's $7m makeover proposal

Frank McCabe Jewellers valuer Martin Dahlenburg is happy about an upgrade of Gawler Place being considered by the City Council. Picture: Noelle Bobrige Source: adelaidenow

PART of Gawler Place would be paved and have wider footpaths under plans for a $7.2 million upgrade.

City councillor David Plumridge, a member of the Rundle Mall Masterplan working group, has provided details of the plans, which have yet to be released.

But it would be unlikely to happen until at least 2014/15.

Cr Plumridge told the City Messenger the project would include "dramatically improved street lighting", new seating, floodlighting of buildings, landscaping to create "parklets" in the section south of the mall, and underground ducting for fibre optics and essential services.

"This is going to make Gawler Place seamless with Rundle Mall," he said.

Cr Plumridge said the paving of the mall under its $30 million upgrade would extend into Gawler Place as far as Fisher Place to the north and Featherstone Place to the south.

This would be extended to North Tce and Grenfell St in the $7 million project.

Car access would have to maintained to allowed entry to offstreet carparks, but the paved roadway would be a shared space for pedestrians and motorists, he said.

Upgrades of side streets and laneways off the mall were included in the original $60 million masterplan for the precinct, since scaled back to a $30 million upgrade focused on the mall itself, to be completed by late next year.

"The plan identified the most important laneway would be Gawler Place," Cr Plumridge said.

"We can't rest on our laurels. I would like to see it done as an extension of the present (mall) contract."

Produced by consultants Hassell, the latest concept design for Gawler Place was presented to the working group, last Tuesday (February 19).

The group includes council staff and members of the mall's management authority.

Cr Plumridge moved a motion at a council committee meeting that night for consideration of funding detailed design work in 2013/14 and construction in 2014/15.

But members watered down the motion to consideration of the project in future budgets.

Cr Plumridge said the working group had already received plans for a modest upgrade of James Place, including new lighting but not repaving.

Frank McCabe Jewellers valuer Martin Dahlenburg said Gawler Place was in dire need of an overhaul.

Designs for upgrades of lanes including Twin St, Stephens Place and Charles St were in the works, he said.

Plans for all the laneways would likely be presented in a single package to the council in about three months, he said.

They would likely be considered behind closed doors before being released for consultation.

The Rundle Mall upgrade includes a new canopy for events in Gawler Place just north of the mall.

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