Adelaide needs to change.....

Owner of coopers brewery seems to get it...................... comments are somewhat depressing by some of the readers.....

 

PROGRESS will never be made in the city of Adelaide without a wholesale shift in thinking and intent from the top says a leading South Australian businessman.

“It just won’t happen without a change in laws and attitude,” said the chairman of Coopers Brewery, Glenn Cooper, at an Adelaide City Council, ‘Lord Mayor’s forum’ this morning to discuss its new 2016-20 draft Strategic Plan.

The plan, he says, is little more than window dressing and lacking the requisite substance to thrust Adelaide in the vanguard of 21st century Australia.

“I have seen a lot of this before, predictions of growth but nothing will change.

“I was interstate last week. People couldn’t believe we have laws in SA that say you can’t stand outside in a group to have a drink or that parts of Hutt St are restricted to four chairs at an outside table.”

Such small mindedness is an indictment of outmoded attitudes still prevalent in SA he said.

 

 

 

 

 

Mr Cooper was invited by the council to give his views on its 30 page offering, a ‘beautiful document’ he said that is effectively a triumph of style over substance.

A panel comprising former state governor Kevin Scarce, Fringe chief Heather Croall, Lord Mayor Martin Haese, climate guru Nicole Halsey, Craig Holden from property developer Forme Projex and Mr Cooper discussed the merits of the strategic plan before around 70 civic leaders from across SA.

Where is the reference to the 260,000 plus visitors Clipsal brings to the city every March, and the energy that engenders, he asked.

Little progress can be made said Mr Cooper without the participation of the state government to repeal restrictive dining laws and more, citing a first rate fish restaurant in the CBD where the owner wanted to put up an awning outside the restaurant in the shape of a scallop but was told legislation required a standard black awning only.

 

Such petty bureaucracy is anathema to progress he said.

Adelaide City Council needs to help make things happen he said.

“Look at Le Cornu, they haven’t been able to fix that, it is an indictment upon the city. Unless you are prepared to change attitude and assist, we can’t progress.”

The council is not matching its intent he said.

“People want Adelaide to come alive. The city needs to be a place where more people want to spend more time,” wrote deposed lord mayor Stephen Yarwood in the foreword to the previous (2012-16) strategic plan, a declaration of vibrancy the current crop of councillors is failing to meet said Mr Cooper.

“It is affecting this state,” said Mr Cooper. “It requires change by the government, I live in hope.”

We should be much more open in our ambition he said.

“What’s the most romantic city in the world? Paris” asked Mr Cooper.

“Paris has cold winters like we do. It has built awnings and facilitated outside dining all year round. Our council will not allow that …”

@john

@Rich

@Rich

@john

@john

Deryans.... having difficulty getting teeth into this:

 

 

* A casual reader (-presumably from outside Adelaide-) might be forgiven in thinking Adelaide City is still back in the Playford State days

To be fair, the Adelaide City Council have gone to great lengths over recent years to promote outside dining etc:

 

Hutt St, Gouger Street, Rundle Street East, O'Connell St etc etc are all doing brisk alfresco business..... most of them with plenty of cover and even heating for the cooler months, and quite able to accommodate groups well in excess of four, all year round.....

 

Then there are whole new alley type developments: Ebezer Place, Charlicks, Union Lane, Gilbert Place, Ebenezer.

 

* So, perhaps this is more to do with licensing restrictions?

If so ....not sure people have much of a problem with being expected to sit down if they have a glass in their hand.

 

Why I was in Rundle Street just yesterday evening doing just that.

 

(But then -come to think of it .....there was a group of ladies standing having a drink at a street counter, right next to a Security Guard. -so that's not a very good tangent to take now, is it ?)

 

Either way... it's not as if we don't have beer gardens in Adelaide where you can waltz your Matilda to your hearts content.

 

 

* Or is this perhaps a crie du coeur for Scallop Shaped Awnings and / or bigger tables, or something ?

 

 

Perhaps you could clarify what it is that Glen (-or even better, what you ) would like to see from the ACC, and from the State Government

 

 

 

JB

Edited March 25, 2016 by John Browning

Oh dear Mr Deryans, you must be so bored in London. Raining is it?

 

I don't know what we would do without you telling us how backwards it is here. Oh, I know, I might just enjoy the last 9 years that i've lived here.

Before moving here I lived for 25 years in a city and country that gradually became more unlivable. as every aspect of normality disintegrated. I don't ever feel the need to tell everyone there just how bad their lives, government, future prospects are. I just get on with my new present life and put the past behind me. You have every right to spew your doom and gloom but I just shake my head and wonder why.

You take care. In time you may one day put your Adelaide experiences behind you and concentrate upon living again.

Doesn't even live in Adelaide oh but he's from London well there you go.

I however do live here and agree with the post deryans has posted I have both friends form Adelaide and other parts of Australia and all have said there are too many do-gooders set in there ways and want Adelaide to remain a small country town. Are neighbour told us that are kids will eventually move away from Adelaide as all 3 of there kids now live outside SA for better work prospects and to be in a place that has a pulse after the clock his 5.00pm. Adelaide is a place loaded with red tape that has a strangle hold on business which Ive never seen before, I went to a Harvey Norman store on one of the public holidays only to find out they cannot sell any electrical goods, what's that all about???? another stupid law in SA. I once heard the Premier of Victoria called SA a backwater and I thought what a comment to make about a fellow Australian state but I can understand why he made that comment. SA however is nice place with some great wine regions, beaches but its been poorly governed in the past.

I have also notice a comment on here that has compared Adelaide to London......rubbish compare apples with apples.

 

Adelaide as a large country town needs to cut bull**** laws, modernise to keep its youth and not just be known as the city of poorly designed and constructed churches.

Edited March 25, 2016 by Markrw

Glenn Cooper seems to have proven himself as an astute businessman. He's been involved in tourism as well as 'Buy Australian'. I think the point he's making is that the draft Strategic Plan is word-strong, action-weak.

 

Love does not have to be blind. There are elements to SA that could be improved to the benefit of all. Dismissing every idea as somehow disloyal or over-critical is a nonsense. Asking what people want, how they see the future of Adelaide was a great idea, but then we need exciting, forward-thinking individuals to come up with a dynamic plan for our future. And that seems to be what's missing from the Strategic Plan.

 

However, it's still a draft, so let's wait and hope. Alternatively, go to:

 

http://www.adelaidecitycouncil.com/your-council/strategic-corporate-planning/stategic-plan/

 

and share your opinion.

 

Finally, I don't know why Deryans continues to post on PiA, but surely each thread / post should be judged by content, not author?

 

LC

Edited March 25, 2016 by Lazy Cow
Stupid autocorrect.