A volunteer‑run community group that has operated from a future development site at Bowden for the past 14 years has been granted a lifeline just after its closure.
Renewal SA struck a deal with a nearby landowner for Adelaide Bike Kitchen (ABK) to use a vacant warehouse on East Street at Brompton, about 300m from its existing home, for the next 16 months.
This will also secure additional parking for the area as works kick off on Sentinel’s 240-apartment development.
ABK has operated at Bowden since 2012 with the support of Renewal SA, leasing the site with the understanding it would eventually be sold for residential development.
Spokesperson Reb Rowe applauded the decision and the effort undertaken by Renewal SA to find ABK a home.
“The extra time in the area provides Adelaide Bike Kitchen with more time to navigate the complex financial and property systems we need to work within to find ABK a more permanent home,” Ms Rowe said.
“ABK and Bowden have evolved together and our communities are linked. Staying in Bowden a bit longer lets us work towards our objective of staying close to our community.”
Ms Rowe said the organisation, which supports about 2,500 people each year from across the community to build skills in fixing and maintaining their own bikes, while also hosting social events and occasionally providing low‑cost meals, had been grappling with difficult decisions about its future.
“Without this opportunity, ABK would have needed to make a difficult decision to either substantially reduce what we offer to the community, move farther out from the city or even close altogether,” she said.
Shane Wingard, Renewal SA’s Acting Chief Executive said the opportunity to use the nearby warehouse arose unexpectedly at a critical time particularly while a large permanent parking solution for Bowden was being built as part of an affordable housing development between Second and Third Streets.
“We had been working on a strategy to identify opportunities for temporary parking around the precinct while our new multi‑deck carpark is being built,” he said.
“The warehouse site was not on our radar but was put to us by the City of Charles Sturt as a potential location.
“It turned out to be a great location for additional parking, while also providing a suitable interim solution for ABK.”
The Renewal SA‑owned site, which also houses the Bowden Discovery Centre, was sold in 2025 to South Australian developer Otello, which is preparing to begin construction on new health and wellbeing facilities beneath more than 100 apartments.
Mr Wingard said ABK was advised of the sale in November 2024, and Renewal SA had since worked with the group to identify possible alternative locations.
“We have worked very closely with ABK over the years and thank them for their continued contribution to the local community,” he said.
“This opportunity significantly extends the time available for them to find their next permanent home, with minimal operational and financial disruption.”
Adelaide Bike Kitchen closed its current site last week and will reopen shortly after gaining access to the new location in May.
A total of 145 car parks will open on the site at the same time, offering free limited parking for precinct visitors to support local traders until Bowden’s 221‑space multi‑deck car park opens in 2027.
The new parking arrangements come as an existing temporary carpark within the precinct prepares to close to make way for construction of international firm Sentinel’s 240‑apartment development.
Mr Wingard said Bowden was entering an exciting phase that would lay the foundations for completion of the urban renewal project.
“Sentinel’s development in the heart of Bowden will be the largest in the precinct and will create hundreds of much‑needed, well‑located homes,” he said.
“This is one of the final construction projects to begin at Bowden and we look forward to seeing it take shape.”
Bowden is an urban renewal project by Renewal SA on the former Clipsal site off Park Terrace, approximately 2.5 kilometres from the Adelaide CBD.
The new Adelaide Bike Kitchen location and Bowden car parking site are located on the corner of Drayton Street and Second Street at Brompton.
