Preliminary works will begin today on the $6 million Rymill Park Lake upgrade after Council appointed CATCON as the builder.
City of Adelaide staff along with CATCON employees will be in the area surveying the site, completely draining the lake and installing fencing as they prepare the area for major works.
The Rymill Park Lake was first opened in 1960 and has helped Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka become the most utilised park in the city.
Despite several restoration attempts over the years a complete upgrade is required to fix the leaking base and improve accessibility.
Instead of being topped up with water from the Glenelg Adelaide Pipeline, the new sustainable lake will now be replenished with stormwater from Victoria Park / Pakapakanthi, with a new self-cleaning rain garden filtration system to naturally treat the water with native water plants.
Areas of Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka, including the lake, will be closed to the public until April, while the major work is completed.
The works are required to be complete by April 2024, so the Adelaide International Three Day Horse Trials can be staged as an important Olympic qualifying event for Paris 2024.
Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith said CATCON have an important job delivering this key project around a busy events calendar.
“The lake upgrade will cause some inconvenience to the public and event organisers but this is a long overdue and important project which will fix the lake and make it an even better place for the community to enjoy,” said the Lord Mayor.
“Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka will still be able to host all the festivals and events the public loves, such as Gluttony, Harvest Rock and the Adelaide 500 but some sections will be out of action from time to time.
“This is an enormous project and there’s no time to waste. The lake must be ready within eight months for the Olympic qualifiers, so work will begin immediately to prepare the site for this important upgrade.”
The $6 million upgrade has been co-funded by the City of Adelaide and the State Government through the Open Space Grant program.
Housing and Urban Development Minister Nick Champion said the upgrade was a win for the industry and wider community.
“This project will deliver improved infrastructure and amenities in the area, supported by local workers and creating jobs.
“Revitalising the iconic space not only benefits Adelaide’s growing residential and worker population, it will also help attract major events and visitors to our state.”
CATCON is a South Australian building and landscaping company with a proven history of delivering major infrastructure projects across the state, including Lot Fourteen and Tonsley.
CATCON CEO Steve Moreau said “CATCON is pleased to be selected to partner with the City of Adelaide to construct the upgrade of this important public space within the Adelaide Park Lands.”
As well as the lake upgrade, the major project will also deliver new, better-connected paths, additional seating and improved lighting.
The lake development is a key action in the Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka Master Plan, which has seen a number of projects already completed, including Events Infrastructure Upgrade, new perimeter pathway and the Quentin Kenihan Inclusive Playspace.
