Revitalisation needed?

This shopping strip has fourteen empty shops in a couple of hundred metres. Where is it?

Bye bye trees – Australian Wire Ropeworks

There used to be a Hill’s fig to the left of this building

 

You could have knocked me down with a feather as I was driving home from work on Sunday morning when I saw a building in Mayfield I’d never really noticed.

It used to peek out behind a Hill’s fig which once a year used to be ‘pruned’ within an inch of its life but survived.

Not any more. It had its last prune.

Mr Owen’s wise words 3.10.2012

So I wrote back to Mr Owen (see recent post) and he was kind enough to reply to my concerns:

10/3/2012 1:51 am I wrote:

Tim

Here’s a tip: the corollary of ‘We are going to change this city’ is ‘We don’t like this city’.

Pacing themselves

Wickham Park playground looks like a nice place to take kids.

Come and see a Council asset cut up 5.8.2012

Tonight, bizarrely, this building will be the subject of performance art, or a light show, or something equally depressing. Supervised by one of the architects who designed it.

And then this week it will be chopped up.

Here’s what this does to me:

MEDIA RELEASE
Award-winning structure to be trashed by Newcastle City Council

 

The development of the Newcastle Regional Gallery is about to begin and the first step in the process is the destruction and waste of a neglected, award-winning structure.

At the rear of the gallery is the ‘Pavillion‘, built in 1996. It was designed by architects Ramsay Awad, Jodie Dixon, and Chris Tucker.

It is about to be chopped up – or, in Council’s words,  ‘deconstructed’ under Mr Tucker’s supervision and people are being encouraged to – wait for it – take pieces as souvenirs.

‘There are people in Newcastle who would happily use it as community space,’ said Caity Raschke.

‘Islington Park is one place it could be moved to. One of our local companies made a very generous offer to the community, saying they could have contributed a large portion of the funds needed to move it. The community could have  fundraised for the rest but Newcastle City Council failed to support the proposal. The National Trust wrote in support of the recycle and refit to Islington Park.

‘There are funds allocated to demolishing ithe Pavillion which could be used to move and store it but Council refused. Council claimed that the removal of the building had to be started by the beginning of July – here we are a month later and it’s beginning this week. Lost opportunities for fundraising – thanks, NCC.This is just another example of how little regard Council have for the community,’ said Dr Raschke.

‘NCC prides itself on its commitment to public art. Why would you tear this down just to throw it away when it could beautify a community park?

‘I suppose a Council that destroys a beautiful building like the Frederick Ash building, throws out historical material in the process, and fells the Laman Street trees, and is poised to virtually give away other assets like parking centres, Wickham School and daycare centres, is not going to look after a community asset like this.

‘Shame on them.’

Home

Misery 24.7.2012

This is the entrance to the little park in Wickham that is being ?improved by Council.

Ausgrid Vandals 26.4.2012

Ausgrid’s teams have destroyed a hundred streetscapes in Newcastle in recent weeks.

AC Phil Hewett resigns from the Land and Environment Court 31.3.2012

From the Greens' petition to Council

I was told this morning that Mr Hewett, Newcastle City Council’s ‘casual’ arborist has resigned as acting commissioner on the Land and Environment Court.

Thanks to Cr Cook 2.2.2012

Everyone’s favourite councillor sent me one of his famous late night emails tonight. He often cc’s them to what feels like the entire world so you may have received a copy.