Adelaide’s Lord Mayor Calls For CBD Closure To Entice Visitors

Under a radical new plan, Adelaide's lord mayor wants to close city streets for one-to-three months.

The bold move would see local businesses, restaurants and retailers take advantage of the space outside to encourage people to return to the CBD. 

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Supported by traders’ groups, lord mayor Sandy Verschoor's grand scheme to close the CBD, is only one of many radical plans for the city.

"As a capital city, we need to be innovative, creative and embrace the opportunities of the future, while honouring all that makes our city the most liveable in Australia," Ms Verschoor editorialised in the Adelaide Advertiser.

"There is no doubt it has been a challenging start to the year for our city and Adelaide City Council is working with the state government to support businesses with cash grants and incentives to encourage more people to return to the city".

Further incentives include dining vouchers, along with free parking and public transport.

Loosely based off a similar plan in Montreal, the lord mayor wants to see artists, musicians and a festival flavour spill into the city streets.

"We have doubled our investment in Friday Night Live and we need more outdoor amphitheatres, more plug ‘n’ play spaces, music on balconies, rooftops, carparks, more free rehearsal spaces, music markets and recording studios"

"We could have gig nights at the Town Hall, more music on the streets, song commissions and competitions," she wrote enthusiastically.

With so many big and bold ideas, Cr Verschoor would like to see the city’s parks and urban development’s become a draw card for tourists and bring Adelaide to life.

Praised for her “proactive” and out-of-the-box approach, the lord mayor is now calling upon the Premier to step into the arena and splash some cash, to make Adelaide City a hive of activity once more.

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