Victoria Park, Adelaide

Coordinates: 34°55′59″S 138°37′12″E / 34.933°S 138.620°E / -34.933; 138.620

Victoria Park, also known as Park 16 and Pakapakanthi, is a park located in the Southeastern Park Lands of the South Australian capital of Adelaide.[1][2] It is bordered by Fullarton Road, Greenhill Road, East Terrace and Wakefield Road. It hosts a variety of major events throughout the year, the most prominent of which being the Adelaide 500.

History

Horse racing track along the eastern edge of Victoria Park, adjacent Fullarton Road.

The park's most prominent feature was the Victoria Park Racecourse, formerly the home course of the Adelaide Racing Club prior to its amalgamation with the South Australian Jockey Club; the main track was 2,360 metres long, with the longest home-straight of any horse racing track in Australia.[3] Following the rejection of a proposal to upgrade horse and motor racing facilities in early 2008, the SAJC vacated the premises, moving their home course to Morphettville Racecourse. The 1950s-era SAJC grandstand was demolished, as was a large brick wall adjacent Fullarton Road and other utility buildings. The heritage-listed 1880s-era grandstand will be refurbished as part of a $16 million upgrade of the park's facilities.[4] The park remains one of the venues for the Adelaide International Horse Trials.

Part of the Adelaide Street Circuit was built in the northern portion of the park. Temporary grandstands and other facilities are erected whenever motor racing events are hosted there. The circuit has hosted the Adelaide 500 since 1999 and formerly staged the Australian Grand Prix, from 1985 to 1995, and a one-off Le Mans series event, the "Race of a Thousand Years" on 31 December 2000. The park also hosts two rounds of the Australian HPV Super Series in the winter. This used to be run on part of the Adelaide 500 circuit, but is now run on a specially developed criterium circuit.

In August 2008, the Adelaide City Council announced plans to turn Victoria Park into a "people's park", incorporating wetlands, community sporting facilities, walking tracks and temporary motor racing facilities.[5]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.adelaidecitycouncil.com/adccwr/publications/policies_strategies/park_lands_signage_plan.pdf Adelaide Parklands Signage Plan. Retrieved on 15 May 2007.
  2. ↑ Victoria Park / Pakapakanthi (Park 16), adelaideparklands.com.au
  3. ↑ "Victoria Park Racecourse". Pro-Group Racing. Retrieved 1 August 2006.
  4. ↑ http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/adelaide-oval-history-lies-in-ruins/story-e6frea83-1225734480017
  5. ↑ "Lord Mayor vows Victoria Park to be among world's best". 27 August 2008. Archived from the original on 1 September 2008.


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