A creek-side walking and cycling path from The Junction to the harbour?
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Sounds nice, doesn’t it.
The state government announced last week that it would spend millions on landscaping the undeveloped part of Honeysuckle, including opening up the section of Cottage Creek which now passes underground before emptying into the harbour.
Some of the artist’s impressions of the project make the water in the harbour and creek look clearer and bluer than the Whitsundays, but it’s good to finally see the 1920s stormwater channel being used for something other than as a receptacle for soccer balls and shopping trolleys.
Hunter Water won $450,000 from the Newcastle Port Community Contribution Fund last year to help with its $2.2 million plan to beautify the banks of the creek between the tram line and Honeysuckle Drive.
And the company behind the 20-storey Verve apartments, Miller Property Corporation, plans to spend almost $1.5 million on a shared path between the creek and its new building in King Street.
Newcastle City Council will demolish several buildings it owns in Hunter Street this year to allow this path to flow through towards the harbour.
But a council spokesman told Topics that it is also about to start planning an extension of the shared pathway along Cottage Creek from King Street to Parkway Avenue at The Junction.
The creek flows between No.1 and No.2 sportsgrounds and through the middle of National Park before snaking east then west and ending near The Junction Public School.
A cycleway/walkway from Parkway Avenue would have to cross Parry, King and Hunter streets, the tram tracks and Honeysuckle Drive before arriving at the waterfront, but, if the Fernleigh Track and Bathers Way are any guide, Newcastle people love a good path.
Awesome effort
Lake Macquarie City Council is calling on volunteers to help run and fund an Awesome Foundation program to kick-start bright ideas in the community.
The Awesome Foundation, started in Boston 10 years ago, is a worldwide network of philanthropic programs which give away $1000 a month to people “devoted to forwarding the interest of awesomeness in the universe”.
The council is looking for 10 board members to donate three hours and $100 a month to the Awesome Lake Mac program. Three of the grants in the first year will go to young people aged 16 to 24.
The council is partnering with local not-for-profit Community Activities Lake Macquarie (CALM) on the program.
“Being a board member allows you to directly contribute to projects that support community members to positively impact their city. How awesome is that?” council community development officer Emilie Wiggers said.
Topics has an idea: Use the $1000 to help buy a Jets player who can find the back of the net.
That would be pretty awesome.