Newcastle City Council has agreed to meet with Nobbys Action Group to discuss options for reinstating change rooms to the beach.
Greens councillor John Mackenzie tabled a NAG petition bearing 1088 signatures to this week’s council meeting calling for the restoration of indoor showers and change areas lost under a $1 million upgrade to the Nobbys pavilion last summer.
The Newcastle Herald reported this week that stage two of the project, a small annex containing a family change room and accessible toilet, had stalled after problems with the contractor.
Cr Mackenzie said the delays could give the council time to revisit the plans to address the concerns of residents and beachgoers.
Fellow ward one councillor Emma White (Labor) agreed the council should meet with NAG to discuss the concerns laid out in the petition.
“It is an issue of significant concern to residents and the community,” she said, describing the number of signatures on the petition as “significant”.
Lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the Office of Environment and Heritage would not allow the council to erect a new building in the heritage precinct.
She said the council could remove a toilet cubicle in the pavilion to include an individual change cubicle, though the community had asked for more toilets during consultation before the revamp began.
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Michael Parris
Michael Parris reports on politics for the Newcastle Herald. He started at the Herald in 1994 after working in the ABC Newcastle newsroom. Michael spent much of his career as a sub-editor before moving into political reporting in 2017. He was a finalist in the Sports Australia national media awards for his stories about a male-only tennis club in Newcastle. He has covered NSW and federal elections, state and federal budgets and local politics. He has also written extensively about the COVID-19 pandemic with a special focus on data analysis and the effects of lockdowns on the Hunter community.
Michael Parris reports on politics for the Newcastle Herald. He started at the Herald in 1994 after working in the ABC Newcastle newsroom. Michael spent much of his career as a sub-editor before moving into political reporting in 2017. He was a finalist in the Sports Australia national media awards for his stories about a male-only tennis club in Newcastle. He has covered NSW and federal elections, state and federal budgets and local politics. He has also written extensively about the COVID-19 pandemic with a special focus on data analysis and the effects of lockdowns on the Hunter community.
