Greening Program - WSUD Project
Tree planting, landscaping and the installation of Water Sensitive Urban Design infrastructure will be added to key central Port Pirie locations in the next stage of the Port Pirie Greening Program.
The Port Pirie Greening Program is funded by the Government of South Australia as part of a four-year, $5.7 million partnership that aims to minimise lead exposure pathways, beautify the community and increase biodiversity.
Further benefits are improved visual appeal of the identified locations, increased environmental benefits and the improved health and wellbeing of the community.
A Greening Port Pirie – Landscaping Concept Design was released for community consultation in January 2024 focusing on priority areas identified for greening with water sensitive urban design principles. Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) measures and technologies range from the storage, treatment and use of runoff to water-efficient landscaping. WSUD can help communities achieve greater water sustainability and provide greater longevity for plantings.
The following areas have been identified as key locations for WSUD infrastructure and associated upgrades and will be conducted through the Port Pirie Greening Program:
- The Terrace: Port Pirie West Primary School / Pirie West Oval car park
- The Terrace/Memorial Drive intersection
Locations also identified for WSUD infrastructure and upgrades in the future are:
- Memorial Drive
- The Terrace: Alexander Street to Memorial Drive and Mary-Elie Street to Grey Terrace.
To enable new, environmentally suitable plantings, a selection of trees along The Terrace (between Memorial Drive and Mary Elie Street) had to be removed. The majority of these trees were Lagunaria Patersonia (Itchy Bomb) species which are not deemed suitable for streetscapes due to the capsules and fine white hairs dropped.
Tree removal was conducted last week to coincide with school holidays. Subsequent works, including new kerb, new footpaths and improved pedestrian access at The Terrace/Memorial Drive roundabout, are scheduled for the Christmas school holidays to minimise disruption to the neighbouring Port Pirie West Primary School community.
More information on specific control measures including WorkZone Traffic Management and dust suppression will be released to the public as works commence.
Further information on the works planned can be found in the Greening Port Pirie – Landscaping Concept Design available on the Port Pirie Regional Council website