Kingston Park Master Plan
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Background
The Kingston Park foreshore is a unique and special part of the 5049 community which we all share and enjoy. Its spiritual, cultural and social value is undeniable. In 2015 after many years in the making, the City of Holdfast Bay endorsed the ‘Kingston Park Reserve Master plan’. Throughout this time the 5049 Coastal Community Association has been campaigning to influence positive outcomes for our community in this area. Elements of the 2015 plan were welcome, however based on local feedback, the Association highlighted to Council risks associated with the plan; in particular issues with the springs, parking, vegetation, the playground, the café. and potential over development of the reserve Following a successful public forum by the Association council decided to review the scope and content of the master plan with a less is more approach and one that fully embraced the cultural context with close collaboration with the local Kaurna elders. This was entirely consistent with the general consensus within the community and they looked forward to the future engagement during the development of the revised masterplan. This shift in emphasis has lead to a more complex set of negotiations by council around the important sensitivities associated with this significant site. In July 2019 the Kaurna Nation in partnership with the City of Holdfast Bay three day Repatriation Ceremony at the Kingston Park Coastal Reserve to lay to rest several Old Peoples remains which have been returned for reburial to country from the Natural History Museum, United Kingdom and the South Australian Museum. Parts of this event are open to the whole community. This was a great opportunity to join together on this significant event and consolidate both communities commitment to respect the cultural importance of the reserve. More information here. The above event brought the community together in a very emotionally connected way and was seen as a great indicator of the potential for the community to embrace the cultural significance whilst being able to enjoy and share the recreational and restorative values of the area. Since then a good deal of work has gone into the development of a comprehensive proposal for the reserve including the comprehensive restoration of the Tjilbruke spring. One of our committee members has been invited onto a council steering group including local Kaurna elders to monitor progress etc. It is possible that Community engagement on the overall plan will be released early 2021 at which point we are hopeful that a community forum or event at the reserve can be held. Meanwhile the Council are addressing the following issues independently:
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