FOCUS On Burnside - the news hub

Did you know the George Bolton Swimming Pool was initially filled with water drawn directly from First Creek?

In 1954 it was announced that a swimming pool was to be established at the Hazelwood Park site. It took some years before the development came to fruition, with the official opening held in October 1966. At the 1966 ceremony, Burnside Swimming Centre (now known as George Bolton Swimming Centre) was opened by Olympian Dawn Fraser, who swam the inaugural lap. The pool featured a 50 metre pool, plus a children’s pool and wading pools. The swimming pool is adjacent to First Creek, which runs through Hazelwood Park.

Photograph: The George Bolton Swimming Centre pools circa 1980s. Burnside Local History Collection.

Did you know there are 63 State Heritage Places and 303 Local Heritage Places within the City of Burnside?

A place that contributes to South Australia's architectural, social, technological, or scientific history may be listed as a State Heritage Place. State Heritage Places in the City of Burnside include Hazelwood park, the Regal Theatre, Gartrell Church and the Waterfall Gully Kiosk.

A Local Heritage Place has values that are significant to the local area. Examples in the City of Burnside are Skye Cellars, Ransom's Corner shops, Burnside Post Office and Bennett's Pottery.

Photograph: State Heritage Place Wootton Lea in 1874. The house is now part of Seymour College. Burnside Local History Collection.

Do you recognise the location shown in this 1953 photograph?

In 1912, W.G. McAllan established the Adelaide Brick Company on 27 acres of land. The company blasted clay from the hillside and fired it in an 18 chamber Hoffman kiln, which was initially powered by coal. At its peak, the plant employed 43 men and was producing 5 million bricks per annum. However, production stopped in the late 1960s. The chimney was demolished and the land was cleared to make way for housing and a recreational reserve.

Answer: The location of the 1953 photograph is now Langman Recreation Reserve on Waterfall Gully Road, Burnside.

Join CEO Chris Cowley for this week’s episode of Burnside Highlights, keeping up with all the latest news and events within the City of Burnside.

Did you know that the Burnside Hospital in Toorak Gardens is a War Memorial?

In 1944, Otto Georg Ludwig von Rieben donated his property 'Attunga' to Burnside Council for use as a hospital, with the wish that the Edwardian residence and gardens be preserved. In 1949, the converted residence was opened with beds for 21 patients. In 1956, the purpose built Burnside War Memorial Hospital opened.

The hospital is a memorial to those who have given their lives in service of Australia.

Photographs: Attunga House and the opening of the Burnside War Memorial Hospital, 1956. Burnside Local History Collection.

A five-time Tree City of the World, the City of Burnside has become even greener, with recent figures released by Green Adelaide showing the city’s 2022 canopy cover sitting at 31 per cent!

A significant growth from previous measurements, the canopy percentage grew from 25 per cent in 2018 and 2019 and signifies a massive win for Burnside’s strategic priorities to conserve and enhance canopy cover.

Partnering with Green Adelaide and 18 other councils, the program looks to map tree cover, green spaces, built environment and urban heat across our cities.

Using a mapping system called LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and thermal imagery, the program builds a three-dimensional model of the landscape, including trees and buildings. Vegetation measuring horizontally three metres or above is counted as ‘tree canopy’.

Having planted over 1,000 new trees annually for the last six years, the City of Burnside is excited for future measurements with even greater percentages of tree canopy expected.

City of Burnside CEO Chris Cowley said the investment made by Council into the future of its tree canopy was clearly paying dividends, with an increase in canopy cover that will accelerate in the longer term.

‘We currently have thousands of trees that do not reach the three-metre requirement due to their immaturity. In the coming years, we will see continued growth in our canopy percentage as these trees meet the threshold.’

If you would like to view the online map of all councils involved in the program, you can do so at http://spatialwebapps.environment.sa.gov.au/urbanheat/?viewer=urbanheat.

For more information, watch the latest episode of Burnside Neutral.

LiDAR mapping City of Burnside canopy map

City of Burnside was recently named a Tree City of the World for the fifth time

Join Mayor Anne Monceaux for this week’s episode of Burnside Highlights, keeping up with all the latest news and events within the City of Burnside. Find out more about what’s happening at www.engage.burnside.sa.gov.au

Join Mayor Anne Monceaux for this week’s episode of Burnside Highlights, keeping up with all the latest news events within the City of Burnside including the latest move for the Pump Track. Find out more about what’s happening at www.engage.burnside.sa.gov.au.

Do you recognise this building in Tusmore Park?

The Gilbert Wood Scout Hall was built in 1938 and officially opened in February 1939 by Lord Hampton, Chief Commissioner of Scouts in England. The hall is named in honour of Gilbert E. Wood, the first president of the Group Council of Linden Park Boy Scouts.

The building was originally planned as a modest iron and wood structure, but Mrs Gilbert E. Wood donated £400 towards its construction, allowing a more ambitious brick structure to be built with supplementary funds raised in the local community. Upon its opening it was recognised as one of the finest Scout halls in the state and served as the headquarters of Linden Park Boy Scouts.

Today the building is home to the Glenside Lions Bookmart.

Photograph circa 1938, State Library of South Australia PRG 287/1/6/34

🎵 ‘Oh we love to have brekky with Stewie...’ 🎵

A unique cover of the famous Slim Dusty song ‘Duncan’ echoes around the rooms of the Kensington Baseball Club at Newland Park in Erindale.

🎵 ‘Oh we love to have brekky with Stew...’ 🎵

About 40 fellas have squeezed into the clubrooms this morning for the celebration of 10 years of the Men’s Breakfast – a massive cream-covered cake sits in the corner, waiting to be eaten (keep in mind it is not even 9 am yet). Coffee, tea and a sausage and egg meal have already been consumed, lifting the spirits of the early risers.

🎵 ‘We eat in moderation…’ 🎵

An initiative of the City of Burnside as part of the Burnside Home Support Program and with My Aged Care, the Men’s Breakfast has now come together every Monday morning for 10 years to provide mateship, social interaction and general life support to one another.

The laughter and jeering with every song or (inappropriate) joke told can be heard from outside the clubrooms, and the atmosphere felt even further.

As a viewer, it’s hard not to get caught up in the joy and find yourself smiling at nothing and everything all at once.

🎵 ‘We meet at the Kensington Baseball Club, where the atmosphere is great…’ 🎵

A member of the Men’s Breakfast since day one, Burnside resident Graeme said the group dynamic always rang with positivity and was a great social outlet for so many in the area.

Having formed a cycling group with guys he met during the breakfast, Graeme is one of many who has made friends for life at these weekly get togethers.

🎵 ‘I love to have a brekky with Stewie...’ 🎵

Meeting every Monday morning, the Men’s Breakfast is always ready to take on new members, all you need is a Social Support Group referral from My Aged Care and be registered with the Burnside Home Support Program.

To learn if you are eligible for services call the Burnside Home Support Program team at 8366 4193 or visit our website.

🎵 ‘’Cause Stewie’s me mate.’ 🎵