Media response - McLaren Vale Main Road Concept Plan

Published on 05 April 2024

Response to The Advertiser.

• We are doing a story on the proposed draft McLaren Vale Main Road Concept Plan and have some questions.

1. How much money has been budgeted for the overall concept plan?

The implementation of the concept plan has an approximate budget of $650k.

2. When will work begin?

Construction is anticipated to start in September 2024.

3. How much money has been set aside or is expected to be spent on the public art sculptures?

The visual cue component of the streetscape concept consists of 21 pillars, including lighting at the top section of each pillar. The work has an approximate budget of $260k to fabricate and install the installation.

4. Has the community had a say on the public art? Where did that concept come from?

The community currently has opportunity to view the visual cue and streetscape concept and provide feedback through the project’s Your Say page until 6 May.

The work came about following community engagement undertaken through a 2020 McLaren Vale Main Street Visioning project in which the council received feedback that the street needed more elements that would attract people to stay in the street and strengthen the area as a tourist destination.

The visual cue concept of 21 pillars, designed by Sam Songailo and Hatch Studio, was selected on the basis that it would help achieve the goal of attracting attention and encouraging people to linger in the street, further promoting McLaren Vale as a premier tourism destination.

We’ve been working closely with the McLaren Vale Business and Tourism Association in developing the concept plan and we’re grateful for their support.

5. Is the plan that they will light up and change colour? What are they made of?

An objective of the streetscape plan is to subtly light built and natural features along the streetscape. The pillars will have a strip light at the top section of each structure to provide a night-time glow and ambience in the streetscape. The pillars won’t change colour. The pillars have an internal steel frame and clad in 3mm thick aluminium and paint finish.

ENDS