11 Aug, 2021

Reignite Adelaide

Free parking and greater support for the retail, events, hospitality and construction sectors headline a city support package endorsed by Council last night.

Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor said Council will do everything it could to support the city’s recovery.

“Our city businesses have had an extremely difficult 18 months and we are exploring ways to boost their income with more customers while also lowering their costs.”

“Reignite Adelaide will attract people to the CBD with events, activities, free parking and lower fees.”

The $1.34 million Reignite Adelaide program is designed to encourage visitation and economic recovery and growth across the city and North Adelaide. It also delivers on Council’s strategic plan commitment to be the lowest cost capital city with the least red tape and creating strong economies by activating mainstreets and laneways.

It supports local businesses by improving accessibility, lowering costs, reforming policy, streamlining processes, investing in partnerships, enabling events and activations and driving marketing.

Reignite Adelaide will be delivered through a combination of budget and project reprioritisation, foregone revenue, new budget requests to Council and applications for State Government funding.

Initiatives Council supported include:

• A parking initiative during September of free evening (6pm-midnight) and free weekend (Sat-Sun) parking within most of our Council owned off-street UParks.
• Supporting the hospitality industry to expand into the public realm to optimise outdoor capacity limits and attract visitation through inviting, green, safe spaces and utilisation of the Tree Development Fund of up to $150,000 to implement greening.
• Permit and Development Application fees will be free for businesses applying for temporary activations that will support people to return to the city will be waived until September.
• A two-month fee free personal training permit initiative to support the sport and recreation industry, optimise use of our Park Lands, and promote healthy lifestyles and wellbeing.
• Initiatives to reduce costs and streamline processes for the construction industry including a 50 per cent discount for any permit applications for works up to 1 October 2021.
• Investment of $100,000 in the City Business Support Package in partnership with Business SA to support job creation, business recovery and growth.
• A trial Event Fee Free City initiative for 12 months to encourage event organisers to present new, interesting and diverse works in Adelaide to attract visitation and support for city businesses.
• A new ‘Friday Night Live’ project to support live music venues to amplify their Friday night audiences.

Acting CEO Clare Mockler said, “Reignite Adelaide is designed to deliver cost savings, remove obstacles for businesses and event organisers to invest, activate even more spaces, and create compelling reasons for people to come back to the city.”

The program will be progressively rolled out.

Since March 2020 the City of Adelaide has provided over $11 million in assistance through the creation of grants and incentive schemes, financial hardship relief, business advice and support programs to help city businesses.

Matthew Halliwell