Creating a 'greener' city

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Consultation has concluded

Getting the City of Adelaide ‘climate ready’ – Join the conversation!

What is our goal?

The City of Adelaide is working towards becoming 'climate ready' which means being prepared for climate change.

Why is this our goal?

Climate change will bring changes to temperature and rainfall. For our region this means;

  • hotter days and nights in all seasons
  • more frequent and longer lasting heat waves
  • less rainfall overall, but more intense when it does rain

As a built-up urban city, we also experience the “urban heat island effect”, which will be intensified by climate change.

What are we doing to meet this goal?

To be prepared for these changes we are increasing street tree canopies and green infrastructure in city hot spots and public spaces to cool the city.

We have typically been planting approximately 300 trees each year (around 100 of these being replacement plantings) and have increased our investment to $1M for 2022/23, on greening, especially trees, to continue these efforts.

However, planting trees can be challenging in some streets due to narrow footpaths, car parking needs, awnings and verandas, and especially underground utilities, such as water, power and sewerage, often located under verges.

To address these challenges, we are trialling a range of structures that could be used to provide greening and cooling in our city, for use in locations where trees are not possible. These include unique trellis shapes, green walls, planter boxes, arbours and green screens.

Installation of 'green infrastructure' at the corner of Halifax and Hutt St. 

We have installed two 'green' structures at the corner of Halifax Street and Hutt Street, which contributes to an objective in the Draft Hutt Street Master Plan: Enhance amenity, green spaces and connection to the Park Lands. The green structures installed are a lightweight tree canopy-shaped trellis in a round planter base. They are 3m tall, and 5m wide at the top, and have been planted with chocolate vine (Akebia quinata), which should fill each trellis over the next 2 years.



Getting the City of Adelaide ‘climate ready’ – Join the conversation!

What is our goal?

The City of Adelaide is working towards becoming 'climate ready' which means being prepared for climate change.

Why is this our goal?

Climate change will bring changes to temperature and rainfall. For our region this means;

  • hotter days and nights in all seasons
  • more frequent and longer lasting heat waves
  • less rainfall overall, but more intense when it does rain

As a built-up urban city, we also experience the “urban heat island effect”, which will be intensified by climate change.

What are we doing to meet this goal?

To be prepared for these changes we are increasing street tree canopies and green infrastructure in city hot spots and public spaces to cool the city.

We have typically been planting approximately 300 trees each year (around 100 of these being replacement plantings) and have increased our investment to $1M for 2022/23, on greening, especially trees, to continue these efforts.

However, planting trees can be challenging in some streets due to narrow footpaths, car parking needs, awnings and verandas, and especially underground utilities, such as water, power and sewerage, often located under verges.

To address these challenges, we are trialling a range of structures that could be used to provide greening and cooling in our city, for use in locations where trees are not possible. These include unique trellis shapes, green walls, planter boxes, arbours and green screens.

Installation of 'green infrastructure' at the corner of Halifax and Hutt St. 

We have installed two 'green' structures at the corner of Halifax Street and Hutt Street, which contributes to an objective in the Draft Hutt Street Master Plan: Enhance amenity, green spaces and connection to the Park Lands. The green structures installed are a lightweight tree canopy-shaped trellis in a round planter base. They are 3m tall, and 5m wide at the top, and have been planted with chocolate vine (Akebia quinata), which should fill each trellis over the next 2 years.



Consultation has concluded
  • Update: February 2024

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    We would like to extend our gratitude to the vibrant community that actively participated in the Your Say Adelaide survey on the green infrastructure project at the intersection of Halifax and Hutt Streets. The response was robust, with 1,362 unique visitors, and 175 engaged respondents who provided valuable insights through online surveys.

    Among the engaged participants, a diverse representation emerged from the majority of City residents, followed by City visitors, City workers, City business owners, and students studying in the City. This diversity enriches the feedback received, offering a comprehensive snapshot of community perspectives.

    Feedback on the green structure's aesthetics yielded mixed responses, with 53% finding it strongly appealing or appealing, 18% expressing neutrality, and 28% not appealing or strongly disliking it. Similarly, opinions on the structure's cooling potential varied, with 49% believing in its cooling effect, 26% in doubt, and 26% unsure of its impact.

    Open-ended feedback regarding the Council’s approach to greening and cooling was able to be categorised into prominent themes, including a strong preference for trees, overall support for targeted green infrastructure, visual and amenity appeal for trees and greening, a preference for native plants and biodiversity, a call for stronger protection of Park Lands and a desire for pocket parks.

    Next Steps: Guiding a Greener Tomorrow

    The overwhelming community support for tree-centric solutions and green infrastructure emphasises their pivotal role in fostering resilient urban environments. This invaluable feedback will be crucial in informing the City of Adelaide's development of an Urban Green Strategy. The strategy will strategically prioritise investments and outcomes, ensuring the city evolves with shaded streets that provide amenities, biodiversity value, and a sustainable, climate-ready future. Your insights guide us toward a greener, cooler, and more vibrant Adelaide. Thank you for shaping the future of our community.

  • Update: December 2022

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    6 months of vine growth and dressed up for Christmas.

    Check out the before and after picture to see the progress!