Woodville Gardens, South Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Woodville Gardens Adelaide, South Australia
Shop outlets on Hanson Road
Established	1947
Postcode(s)	5012
Area	0.86 km2 (0.3 sq mi)
Location	9 km (6 mi) NW of Adelaide city centre
LGA(s)	City of Port Adelaide Enfield
State electorate(s)	Croydon (2018) Cheltenham (2011)
Federal Division(s)	Adelaide
Suburbs around Woodville Gardens: Athol Park Mansfield Park Angle Park Woodville North Woodville Gardens Ferryden Park Woodville Kilkenny Ferryden Park

Woodville Gardens is a suburb located in the north-western part of Adelaide, South Australia. It is about 9 kilometers (about 5.6 miles) away from the city center. This area is managed by the City of Port Adelaide Enfield local council.

Woodville Gardens is surrounded by other suburbs like Woodville North, Mansfield Park, Ferryden Park, and Kilkenny. Its postcode is 5012. The suburb's borders are First Avenue to the south, Liberty Grove to the east, and Hanson Road to the west.

History of Woodville Gardens

Before World War II, Woodville Gardens was mostly open fields and farmland. It started to become a place where people lived after the war, especially in the 1950s. This was a time when many new homes were built.

The Woodville Gardens Post Office opened on June 2, 1947. It helped people send letters and packages. This post office was later replaced by the Ferryden Park office in 1993.

Many homes in Woodville Gardens were built by the South Australian Housing Trust. This organization helps provide housing. Some private homes were also built with special loans for people who served in the war.

Over time, the people living in Woodville Gardens changed. It used to be mainly a working-class area, with many jobs in nearby factories. From the 1970s onwards, more people from different countries moved in, making the area more diverse.

In the 1990s, a big plan called the Westwood Urban Renewal project started. This project included Woodville Gardens and nearby suburbs like Ferryden Park, Mansfield Park, Angle Park, and Athol Park. The plan involved replacing older homes with newer ones, including private houses and modern townhouse-style homes. Building work began in 2001 and reached the eastern part of Woodville Gardens by 2003.

Local Facilities

Woodville Gardens has a public primary school called Woodville Gardens B7 School. Another school, Ridley Grove Primary School, opened in 1950 but closed in 2010. It joined with Ferryden Park Primary School to form the current Woodville Gardens school.

Along Hanson Road, you can find many useful places. There are medical clinics, pharmacies, and Asian grocery stores. You can also find various restaurants serving different foods.

For bigger shopping needs, the Arndale Shopping Centre is in the nearby suburb of Kilkenny. It is a main shopping spot for people in the area.

The Parks Community Centre is located in Angle Park. This center offers many services for the community. It has a library, a health center, and a gym. There is also a swimming pool complex and council offices.

The Parks Community Centre used to be the site of the Parks High School. This high school closed at the end of 1996 because fewer students were attending. Today, the local high school for students in Woodville Gardens is Woodville High School in Woodville. However, many families choose to send their children to other schools, often in the city center.

Woodville Gardens also has a small park called Mikawomma Reserve. It is a nice green space for people to enjoy.

Woodville Gardens Velodrome

There is an outdoor velodrome in Woodville Gardens. A velodrome is a special track for bicycle racing. This one opened in 1929 and had a banked track built in 1932.

The velodrome became a home for cycling clubs. Famous cyclists like Arn Bate and Dean Toseland used the facility. Charlie Walsh, who later became a national cycling coach, started his career here. Even world and Olympic champion cyclist Stuart O'Grady trained at this velodrome when he was young.

Getting Around (Transport)

Public transport in Woodville Gardens mainly uses bus services. Liberty Grove is served by bus routes 250, 251, and 252. First Avenue also has these services, plus route 239. Hanson Road is served by routes 253, 253X, 254, and 254X. These buses help residents travel around the suburb and to other parts of Adelaide.

People and Community

Woodville Gardens is known for its diverse population. Many people living here have come from other countries. When the suburb was first settled after World War II, many immigrants from Eastern Europe moved to Australia and settled in areas like Woodville Gardens. The South Australian Housing Trust built many homes for these new residents.

In the 1940s and 1950s, the area had many working-class families. After World War II, there was a "baby boom," meaning many children were born. For example, Ridley Grove Primary School had its highest number of students in 1961, with 880 children.

Later, from the 1980s, the types of jobs available changed. Many children of the first immigrants moved away. This left many older immigrants still living in the area. In the 1980s, another group of immigrants arrived, including many Vietnamese people after the Vietnam War. Today, more than half of the people in Woodville Gardens come from families where English is not their first language.