Recharged

So for a long time, and not unconnected to remarks made by the Archbishop, I had sort of fallen out of love with local politics. But lately, there have been so many things going on once more, that I have decided the only way to get anything done is do it yourself. I'm considering running for the West Torrens elections, but decided against it. Adelaide is where it's at for me. And while I won't be running this time, who knows what will happen at the election after that?
I need some time to properly imerse myself in how it works and who are the players I need on my side. Next month will see the first ever council meeting I manage to attend. I have put it in the diary already.

~Long Night of the Museums

An idea unashamedly copied from the Heidelberg/Ludwigshaven/Mannheim event held on the 21.3.9, and popular around Germany, I think it would be easily transferred to the festival state.

For one night, all the museums and art galleries in the city are open, say from 1900 to 0200. There are specially commissioned street performances, and food and drink is available at most venues. For me and my friends it was a very interesting and enjoyable Saturday night. There were many couples, and earlier in the night even children. 

In Adelaide, such an evening would be as close as possible to the actual winter solstice (the longest night) as possible. This would suit the name, and add a much-needed winter event to the Festival State's calendar. In my mind, this is when Northern Lights would re-appear. All the state-owned museums and art galleries would be open till 0200, and private institutions would be encouraged to join in. The Botanic Garden would be open for nocturnal walks, and the Zoo would offer the chance to see some of the nocturnal animals fully active. The Himeiji Garden on South Tce could play host to some Japanese artworks, and there are any number of possible permutations and ideas which would make this an ever-changing, always exciting annual event. 

Beyond Adelaide, both Glenelg and the Port offer satellite constellations of museums and art galleries. With a late-night tram and train service to these places, they too could benefit.

One ticket- a wrist band, or a card- would offer unlimited entry to all museums, art galleries and other events, and count as a bus ticket for the night. 

Additional late-night bus services would be provided- besides the normal Saturday services, Museum-Express lines would be designed to shuttle people from place to place.  

I think this idea has little potential to be an international tourist draw-card. There would not be any international names, only local museums (some of which are admittedly high in international regard). I have always looked with disdain on such local events being billed as encouraging international tourist. Only insofar as it adds to Adelaide's reputation is it so. Nonetheless, it would provide an extra impetus for interstate visitors during the usually quiet winter months, and be a great source of entertainment for those who call Adelaide home. The ACC, Holdfast Bay and Port-Adelaide Enfield councils should consider working with the SA Government to make it a reality.

~Recess

Not that I've been particularly prolific of late (preparing for overseas and all!) but this will be my final post until I return. I am leaving on the 16.12., and will not return until Feb '10.

My personal blog, www.cleverick.blogspot.com, will remain active as the main communication tool between me and my family and friends.

~Pinky Flat II

I have come to the conclusion that Pinky Flat is too small to make anything more than a pretty wetlands- never a useful one in any sense of the word. And since there is plenty of water feature just there (the Torrens) and it's already very pretty, I'm against changing it.
On the other hand, I take this opportunity to push forward my plan (as yet entirely unscientific and uncosted) for an alternative site for the wetlands. Bonython Park is one option: it is very under-utilised at the moment, and a wetlands would improve the quality of the water which eventually flowed out of Breakout Creek. Another option would be the south parklands, where water already pools and causes flooding problems in the southern suburbs, it could be re-designed to drain better and be an attractive feature.

~Pinky Flat

I have fond memories of Pinky Flat.

And I know it has a bit of a reputation at night, but it's still a nice place.

I'm not so sure I want it turned into a wetlands.

When I have thought about it a bit more, I'll get back to you.

~Feast Festival

There are moves afoot to have a gay community centre in Adelaide. Cut by the loss of its only gay pub (not all gays like sleazy dancing till 5am, apparently, so Mars alone doesn't cut it) Adelaide's gay community is calling for a physical place to call their own. 

In the Advertiser Review yesterday, 15/11/2008, Margie Fischer, founder of Adelaide's popular Feast Festival, is quoted as saying, "If we do it really well, it can be an international model- we also want it to be a tourist attraction and a destination." While I'm obviously more than happy to support a gay community centre, the Feast Festival, Quench and dedicated gay pubs (or not, as the case may be), I'm disturbed by this tendency in Adelaide to describe any potential new development as a "tourist attraction". An international model, sure. But to describe a gay community centre as a tourist attraction is a bit of a stretch, don't you think? I mean, how many tourists are going to add Adelaide to their list on the basis of a gay community centre? Not in numbers that qualify it as a tourist attraction. 

I mean, on that basis, the fact that I am going to Iserlohn in northern Germany to visit my host family from student exchange makes them a tourist attraction. Do they deserve a marketing budget to entice me there more often?

By all means, improve community infrastructure in Adelaide but see it for what it is: community services for those who live here. Adelaide needs to get over its obsession with being seen as a world-class city. But that is a post for another day.

~Bins

As a side issue, Adelaide is to be congratulated on finally getting to where the rest of the councils have been for years: three bins. 

Hooray!