The Parks and Playgrounds Movement discussed the draft Master plan for the Civic Cultural Precinct at the January Meeting and it was resolved that the movement lodge an objection to the exhibited scheme drawing attention to the Movement’s long held views about the difficulties and successful development of the civic axis of the city. The Movement has a keen interest in the preparation and implementation of an exciting and realistic plan for the Civic Precinct by Council and appreciates the opportunity to make a constructive comment at this draft stage.

Members expressed the view that they believed that the Master Plan was underpinned by a misconception of the cultural theme for the Civic Centre and the evolution of the City and that changes are needed to the final plan.

War Memorial Cultural Centre
The Movement believe that there is no practical or cultural reason for moving the Library from the War Memorial Cultural Centre where it is currently housed. There is ample room for expansion of the Library facilities on this site through to Queen Street and there is opportunity for this building to present a more satisfactory public face to the Cooks Hill residential area.

The existing building was built with the intention of extending to the rear. There was considerable public effort and support for the creation of the Cultural Centre which was to be on the City Hall Axis across the Civic Park. It was envisaged at the time that the building would be a fitting memorial to the sacrifice made by our men and women during two world wars. The Cultural Centre building and its environs was to house and display the cultural achievements of the Newcastle and the region.

A public competition was held to choose the legend to accompany the heroic Lyndon Dadswell sculpture that stands at the entrance to the Centre. In minds ennobled here the noble dead shall live’. The Development of Civic Park and the exceptional Margel Hinder Fountain were demonstrations of a very active cultural heart in the community. The New Lambton Garden Club designed and had constructed for the city the grotto garden and retaining walls in the southeast corner of Civic Park. This was the first stage in the development of the park.

It would not only show disrespect of past citizens to remove the City Library from the War Memorial Cultural Centre which was solemnly dedicated to cultural uses but it would be unnecessary and not in the public interest. We conclude that there has been no valid logical, cultural, or economic reason demonstrated for the removal of the regional library services from this location to a new building over the Civic Railway Station.

The Movement would wholeheartedly support the extension of the art gallery and the library on their existing site with an imaginative building extension programme.

Civic and the Victoria Theatres
We approve of the concept of extending the Civic Theatre into the arcade to provide adequate backstage facilities for major shows and the refurbishment of the former Hunter Valley Theatre Coy theatre in the complex.

However it would be wrong to conclude that all cultural activities should be located in the Civic area. We must acknowledge the heritage of the city and the way Newcastle has developed. Melbourne for instance has retained and now has restored several historic theatre buildings and they are located over several blocks of the City. We have the historic Victoria Theatre that is an essential part of Newcastle’s cultural fabric. The theatre has contributed greatly to the life of Newcastle and is located within the original Newcastle ‘Old Town’ at Perkins Street and was a social hub of the town. There is a need for a medium size theatre and the Victoria Theatre with its history, architecture and crystal clear acoustics is in an ideal location to be restored as part of Newcastle’s cultural heart. Night time parking could be made available in the adjacent David Jones carpark

Relocation of Administrative Office Building
The relocation of the Administrative Offices from the current Wheeler Place site also seems to be arbitrary and without a sound economic basis. The city has spent large sums of money acquire lands in the Civic area to build the existing distinctive round administrative centre building and has recently repaired and refurbish the building. It is patently illogical that these well appointed buildings be abandoned for no good cultural or civic reason. An excellent building (Westpac Bank) was acquired and demolished to reveal the Ash Building and create the large space we now have in Wheeler Place. This space could accommodate attractive landscape and other structures to relieve the stark visual effect of the place and the area could be used to encourage many more cultural and civic activities. The area is a few metres wider than Martin Place in Sydney but has none of the activities or large buildings linking to it.

Members thought that there is ample opportunity for extending the administrative functions in the area between Wheeler Place and Burwood Street including the restoration of the New Frederick Ash building in Burwood Street for administrative purposes. Other parts of site and future buildings could include carparking structures.

We can see no reason why civic buildings should be abandoned to create an activation strategy to co-ordinate events and creative product for the precinct of the Civic area.

Civic Railway Station
Parks and Playgrounds Movement is opposed to the building of any building over the railway line on aesthetic and practical grounds. The current Civic Station is adequate for the city into the foreseeable future. The existing building presents an attractive, neat and tidy finish to Hunter Street and if it were graced with a green and interesting forecourt it would make an even greater contribution to the city.

Access across the railway line should be by way of two bridges one with ramps at the eastern end of the station building and the other parallel with the existing pedestrian bridge and with public lifts for the disabled or elderly servicing the station and the Honeysuckle area. Hunter Street should have a crush lane for cars travelling west and wishing to cross the rail line and a further pedestrian crossing should be made at the eastern side of Merewether Street.

The intersection of Workshop Way needs extra width to provide turning lanes to North and South into Merewether Street.

Honeysuckle
Any further buildings on the Civic Axis on the Honeysuckle side of the railway should be of small scale and integrated with the North side of the existing railway station. The suggested new administration building would be too large and bulky and would close off the Axis.

The REP 3 and the civic design proposals for the Civic require that any buildings on the Civic Axis be of low scale and in harmony with the restored civic railway workshop buildings in the Honeysuckle area.

A railway station underneath the buildings would have no sense of place and be a dismal area. This type of development has been shown to be ugly and unattractive in Sydney on the southern line. We have a perfectly good station at Civic and there is no reason to ruin it. A green and attractive forecourt to Civic Station would be welcomed on the Hunter Street side and on the Honeysuckle side. A new pedestrian crossing is needed to connect the Wheeler Place pedestrian link to the railway and the public buses.

Regional Museum
The Regional Museum should be retained at Hunter Street West and an attractive visitor centre with carparking located in conjunction with extensions to the existing Museum complex fronting Stewart Avenue. This would give the Visitor Centre and the Museum a prominent face on a major arterial road into the city. Council already owns the properties needed and the existing poppet head on the Parry Street corner is a major and distinctive landmark.

Civic Park Plan of Management
The Movement would be pleased to further discuss with Council or council officers aspects of the masterplan or of changes to the Plan of Management for Civic Park. We envisage that any new Plan of Management should include a reminder of the route of the former Newcastle Coal Company branch railway that crossed the park from Burwood Street and exited under an attractive bridge adjacent to the Signalman’s Cottage now in the grounds of St. Andrews Church.

Council Poll
We consider that Council could hold a Council Poll of electors under Section 14 LG Act 1993 in conjunction with the next Local Government Elections to seek information and guidance on the proposal to shift council administrative functions from the existing buildings into new buildings and whether it should move the Museum and the Library from their present sites.

We trust that Council will give weight to the views of the members of the Parks and Playgrounds Movement and we would be pleased to make further submissions.