Key city esplanade to undergo multimillion-dollar transformation
A popular Adelaide foreshore, which once featured a Ferris wheel ridden by Elvis, is set for a massive transformation with its landmark palm trees flagged for relocation. See the gallery.
The Semaphore Foreshore is set for a major transformation, with the City of Port Adelaide Enfield calling for final comments over its “comprehensive upgrade of the central foreshore plaza area”.
This would include upgrades to recreation and play space areas, landscaping, new pathways and accessways, exercise facilities, a play tower, a skate park, a water play area, a basketball court, and activity hub events areas, new seating and a kiosk.
But there was some lukewarm support from Ashley Tippins, who is secretary of the Semaphore Mainstreet Association and co-owns Xanadu Semaphore on Semaphore Road.
Tippins said that while the community and businesses support the upgrade, they do not see it as “completely necessary”.
“We love the foreshore as it is, and we don’t want it changed too dramatically,” she said, adding that she used to love coming to the foreshore as a kid.
“We didn’t want it to turn into a Henley Square – we want it as somewhere where people are always welcome, and it’s free to attend.”
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Tippins was hopeful that the upgrades would not disrupt local businesses “too much”, saying that works were not scheduled to start until after Christmas.
She also hoped the upgrades would attract more visitors to Semaphore and that the popular rides would come back each summer, even after the facelift was completed.
“The council have been very good with their communications with us, making sure that we understand the steps that go along and are going to do their very best to support us during the periods of time when the jetty and the foreshore are closed,” she said.
In its planning documents, Ying Qian, who is senior project lead of urban strategic planning at Port Adelaide Enfield council, said that “the project aims to enhance recreation and play spaces, amenity, accessibility, infrastructure services, event and entertainment settings, safety, heritage interpretation, technology integration, climate resilience, and business activity”.
The plans would include the relocation of 16 regulated and three significant Washingtonia filifera (Californian Fan Palm) trees.
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Previous plans for an upgrade to the foreshore in 2024 were reportedly set to cost $23 million.
The Port Adelaide Enfield Council said it had undertaken extensive engagement on the design, with the master plan process starting in 2021 and concept planning finished in 2024.
Plans for an upgrade to the pavilion of the heritage-listed 1920s carousel at Semaphore will be submitted at a later date, the council said.
Consultation on the proposed upgrade will end on Monday, July 27, with the Port Adelaide Enfield council assessment panel and assessment manager to make a final decision on whether to approve the plans.
It comes as a new playground, at the northern end of the Semaphore foreshore, opened in May of this year.
According to the Port Adelaide Historical Society, Semaphore was first surveyed for sale in 1849 and began as a service point for shipping.
By the mid-1860s, Semaphore had evolved into a residential suburb and a seaside resort, with its iconic jetty first completed in 1860.
The City of Port Adelaide Enfield was contacted for comment.
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