The former Newcastle train station should be a place people gravitate towards – that’s the view of Revitalising Newcastle program director Michael Cassel, who on Monday unveiled the site’s new branding as preparations to reactivate the facility continue.
Simply known as The Station, it will be home to Renew Newcastle projects for 18 months from mid year before permanent tenants sign up. Revitalising Newcastle enlisted Hunter firm Talk To Bec for the name and logo.
“It should be the place that if you climbed into a taxi at the airport and say ‘where do I go in Newcastle’ the taxi driver should say ‘the first place to go is The Station’,” Mr Cassel said.
Renew Newcastle general manager Christopher Saunders wouldn’t comment on the projects being considered for the site on Monday.
Mr Saunders said the organisation was “excited by the new branding”.
EARLIER:
During the next 18 months Newcastle’s former train station will reopen to the public as part of a temporary ‘site activation’ by Renew Newcastle.
Last year Revitalising Newcastle filled in the platform at the former railway terminus to create a public plaza and work started to restore the station’s heritage-listed buildings, which date back to 1858.
The site was temporarily used during the Newcastle Supercars event in November, but has not been used by the public since the last train left the station on Christmas day in 2014.
Rebranded as ‘The Station’, the landmark site fronting Scott Street will reopen to the public in July.
Revitalising Newcastle Program Director and CEO of Hunter Development Corporation Michael Cassel said the community has made it clear that they want ‘The Station’ to be active and accessible.
“The Station offers Newcastle the opportunity to create a platform for new experiences, products, and services that will promote the Hunter region and orientate people when they visit,” he said.
“Over the next 18 months ‘The Station’ will be temporarily activated by Renew Newcastle.
“This will allow us to experiment with ideas for the site and better understand what brings people through the door.
“The activation of the site will give us a strong idea of what works at The Station and will better inform its long-term use.”
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