New bid to make the CBD ‘vibrant’

By ERWIN CHLANDA

The space between the Todd Mall's Uniting Church and the Yeperenye shopping centre, between the post office and the old Hartley Street School, may become a public park including a big screen area for events, a cafe, water play jets, climbing equipment, trampolines, a half basketball court, lots of grass and bushes (generated image at top).

But the trade-off may be a two or a four-storey carpark on corner Gregory Terrace and Hartley Street, opposite the Diplomat Hotel and Yeperenye.

The suggestions come from an Adelaide consultancy, Jensen Plus, hired by the town council for a fee of nearly $300,000. The costs of the carparks are pegged at $19.5m (two level, 236 spaces) or $27.4m (four level, 351 spaces). Jensen suggests the council may like to seek a partner and investor.

The proposed car parks are illustrated in very small images in Jensen's report, up for public comment until March 22, possibly because of their outstanding ugliness that would become a feature smack bang in the middle of the town, competing with that other monstrosity, as the Supreme Court building is frequently described. The public may also seek an explanation why so much car parking is needed in a town that can be traversed in a bicycle in 15 minutes. The images are only examples but hands up anyone who's ever seen a beautiful multi storey carpark. Another proposal is allowing cars and bicycles in the Mall. Historian Alex Nelson says: "If the remaining section of the Mall changes to a shared space with traffic, it's basically gone full circle."

Some locations invite a “spot the difference” competition. Take the southern end of the Mall. Today it looks a lot like this generated image (above), except there are people in it. Jensen makes no reference to what is clearly the background for the report: The shuttered windows, the closed stores, vandalism, the frequent anti-social behaviour accompanied by shouted profanities – and locals as well as tourists staying away from the place.

But the people in the Jensen images are strolling smugly through the town, peaceful, neat. Jensen does not explain in what way the suggestions it is making will deal with the town's persistent problems. A council spokesman, when asked for comment, says the report was largely based on "feedback from community consultation held in 2023". The News has asked for records of that consultation.

Meanwhile the council assures the public: “No decisions have been made regarding the future of these locations with all stakeholder input informing the final concept designs [including] placemaking and accessibility proposals … and so the overall plan ... is indicative and does not represent a preferred design approach.”

Social and economic troubles seem to be taking a back seat to street pavers. They've got to go, it seems.

"The Todd Mall One concept is using contemporary brick pavers in an organic pattern, referencing the landscape and hills of Alice Springs," the report says.

"Paver renewal has the opportunity to be completed in stages along the mall, to reduce disruption for business.

"It may also be possible to reuse existing pavers in other landscaping projects around Alice Springs.”

The report troubles itself to suggest Littlehampton Long Brick clay paver 320 x 50 x 100 mm Milan Series Storm Brown Colour 2 or Blizzard Blend Colour 3 or Shadow.

The report has unusual solutions for The Centre’s fierce sun, an “artistic overhead shading structure with a combination of solid and transparent cells” (above). Trouble is, it has lots of holes in it and covers only part of of the Mall.

Says Mr Nelson: "I note raised garden beds feature in the plan. Just over two decades ago they were removed by the town council because inebriated people treated them as urinals. Aldermen Michael Jones and Samih Habib were prominent in their criticism of these structures." However, Mr Nelson says the apparent intention to retain existing trees "is a good thing – the tall eucalyptus trees (sugar gums) were planted for the first semi-mall opened in 1978. "No major quibbles about the plants depicted [on pages 52 and 53] but there are a few exceptions: Striped Mint-bush is a beautiful local species common in hill country but under severe pressure from buffel grass. Lovely if they can grow it but notoriously difficult to propagate and tends to be short-lived.• Purple Plume Grass" Triraphis mollis are misidentified, as the photo depicts Purple Fountain Grass, an introduced species (and close relative of buffel grass). This cultivar is harmless and produces non-viable seed.• Various wildflowers – they are likely to struggle in this environment as they require a lot of exposure to sunlight. The shade from structures and trees will impede their growth; also, many native plant species are susceptible to infestation of red (or two-spotted) spider-mite, a troublesome pest in the urban area (much less so out of town). The report mentions “River activation” as well as “streetscape and shade structures” are “nearby projects” of the NT Government in Gregory Terrace, Hartley Street, Bath Street and the National Aboriginal Art Gallery. And of course the word "vibrant" – the adjective used over decades for what the Mall should be, during the frequent and expensive Mall reviews – has enjoyed a rebirth: The current council project is calledA Vibrant Alice Springs CBD.