Saturday, 21 August 2021
The South Australian Business Chamber kick starts its 2022 State Election Charter today with a SPLASH, encouraging the next elected State Government to closely consult with the City of Adelaide and fund a feasibility study to build a natural swimming pool adjoining the River Torrens on the doorstep of the Adelaide CBD.
This forms part of a suite of new and previously stated recommendations to support the growth of the city economy including free public transport for a limited time, stronger collaboration between universities and the business sector, payroll tax breaks for STEM graduates, major conferences, shop trading hours and an arts, events and live performance de-risk fund.
As an iconic tourist destination, a natural swimming pool adjoining the River Torrens at Elder Park will act as a catalyst toward restoring the River Torrens to safe swimming standards. It is indicative of the lateral thinking needed to reimagine the future of the Riverbank precinct and further support the reignition of the city economy.
The South Australian Business Chamber Chief Executive Martin Haese said: “The city is vital to the economic wellbeing of South Australia and this proposal would see public swimming in a new natural pool adjoining Elder Park, located in the foreground of iconic facilities like Adelaide Oval, the Festival Centre and SkyCity Casino.”
“This natural pool proposal would provide a much-needed tourism boost for the CBD, particularly in summer when daytime visitation drops as people flock to the beach.”
“We would expect local businesses and sporting clubs utilising this scenic location to benefit from the uplift in visibility that this pool would provide, including Jolleys Boat House, Lounders Boatshed Café, Popeye, Captain Jolleys Paddleboats, the many rowing clubs and others.”
“Globally, seaside and riverside swimming pools are already popular. The closest comparable facility is Cataract Gorge on the edge of Launceston, described by many local business owners and tourists as a must-see destination in Tasmania.”
“With treated River Torrens water naturally feeding this swimming pool, Adelaide can significantly boost its sustainable credentials by hosting a nation first sustainable pool on the doorstep of the CBD.”
“A feasibility study will have to be undertaken to verify our assumptions, but the experts we have engaged to scope this proposal are optimistic that this project can be delivered safely and successfully.”
“It is noteworthy that this natural pool proposal is an important first step to eventually restoring the entire River Torrens to swimming standard but is not intended to replace the North Adelaide Aquatic Centre.”
“It is also important that other key stakeholders are engaged, particularly the Kaurna people for whom ‘Karrawirra Parri — River Red Gum Forest’ holds cultural significance.” said Mr Haese.
Seeking technical advice from Aquatic Biosecurity (Dr Michael Sierp), Herriot Consulting (Mr John Taglienti) and Matthews Architects (Gerald Matthews), the South Australian Business Chamber recommends that the 50m concrete pool be fed by a channel direct from the river, including multiple layers of treatment, both natural and mechanical. An SA Water feed would further enable the system to be 100 per cent manipulatable and usable 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Dr Michael Sierp, an expert in aquatic science from Aquatic Biosecurity said: “The River Torrens was Adelaide’s premier swimming venue at the turn of the 20th Century. The science behind water quality management, monitoring and treatment has improved remarkably since that time. The unrealised potential for open air swimming in a pool fed by naturally flowing water, will prove to be one of our great icons and it fits neatly with our state’s sustainability credentials.”
In recent years, the State Government in conjunction with SA Water has implemented several ambitious plans to open natural waterways for public recreational use, including two regional reservoirs in Myponga and the Barossa Valley, providing a significant boost for regional tourism, and supporting local jobs.
The South Australian Business Chamber will release Charter22, its full 26-point pre-election charter in the coming week, designed to provide political parties with a range of considered policy proposals responding to the short, medium, and long-term needs of the South Australian business community.
Download the River Torrens Pool Proposal Document
Download the River Torrens Pool Concept Drawings
