22 Aug, 2013
$5M up for grabs for industry to activate Rundle Mall precinct
The City of Adelaide plans to activate the Rundle Mall precinct through a $5 million initiative unveiled at a forum last night for Rundle Mall traders and property owners.
The forum included presentations from Lord Mayor Stephen Yarwood, Council CEO Peter Smith and design group HASSELL, covering the purpose, ideas and the process behind accessing Council’s $5 million Innovation Fund.
Lord Mayor Stephen Yarwood said the $5 million fund was established as part of the Council’s $30 million investment in the Mall’s redevelopment dedicated to revolutionising the shopping experience in Rundle Mall.
“The important thing about the forum has been to get Council, traders and building owners together in the one room to explain what’s on the table and gauge interest in the concept,” Stephen said.
“The idea of the fund is to provide opportunity for Council to work with traders and building owners to co-fund initiatives that enliven Rundle Mall’s laneways, upper-storeys, and unused buildings.
“I was pleased with the turn-out and I think people walked away with a better understanding of what we’re on about.
“There’s a great deal of work and investment going on in the Mall itself to ensure it maintains its place as Adelaide’s premier shopping destination and meeting place, as well as the State’s most popular attraction. Our efforts here are about doing the same for those important arteries that lead to the Mall.
“We want to hear from people with creativity and who have those pioneering ideas that will transform the spaces in and around the Mall,” he added.
The Council’s CEO Peter Smith, spoke at the forum about taking a ‘place-led approach’ to reviving the forgotten spaces in laneways and upper stories around Rundle Mall.
“Place-making is one of Council’s key philosophies to achieve our vision of One City, many places,” Peter said.
“As a Council, we’ve made some significant investment in the city’s future to change the canvas of two of our biggest city landmarks in Rundle Mall and Victoria Square.
“We can’t do what comes next on our own, that’s why we have included the $5 million Innovation Fund in our Rundle Mall Masterplan. It asks those businesses in and around the Mall to partner and co-create the future of the Mall precinct with us.
Peter explained how working with stakeholders and local community is the most sustainable way to work towards Adelaide becoming one of the world’s great small cities.
“The Fund will drive a variety of works, including boosting the early evening/late night economy, laneway activation, visual amenity through concepts like the Rundle Lantern, and permanent place-making initiatives,” Peter said.
“This could range from an outdoor cinema down one of the laneways -or a small café or bar - to an attractive boardwalk or cobblestone path. The door is wide open for the right idea.”
Submissions will need to be investment-ready and will go through a process of submission, approval, business-plan development, and sign-off, before coming into effect throughout the next two years.
Interest parties have until 27 September to prepare submissions for the first phase of the initiative.
For more information visit www.rundlemallmasterplan.com