The Gregson park masterplan is set to be presented to council tonight, with new changes emerging as a result of community feedback.
The park will undergo a $8 million facelift, with short term priorities including a new larger playspace, basketball half court and bat ball wall, realigned paths, plantings, community shelter, enhanced park entries and upgraded amenities with disabled access and facilities.
Deputy Mayor, Declan Clausen said the plan was developed with the community in mind and that the council has listened to the feedback.
”It is a heritage park with some really strong heritage features which are protected, but it is another public space that needs some TLC and Council has gone through the process of developing a new masterplan in close consultation with the Hamilton community to ensure we get a really good outcome for the park,”
“One of the significant opportunities for this park is around the site of the former bowling green that has long been vacant, that is a real opportunity for improvement and there area number of proposals for the site and the masterplan draws together these proposals,” he said.
Community feedback after the six-week exhibition period outlined a number of changes including the addition of bike racks and bubblers to the plan.
City of Newcastle heard that the community supports the provision of activities for all ages, including the retention of the tennis courts and addition of fitness equipment, basketball half court and a bat ball wall.
Long-term priorities include further tree planting, new accessible pathway, potential new kiosk, community gardens and the addition of a stormwater retention tank underneath the former bowling green.