Rotary Club's anger after City of Newcastle backflip on Civic Park plaques

Rotary plaques and trees were previously displayed in Civic Park to honour visits by dignitaries such as Australian international president Clem Renouf and the founder of Rotary International Paul Harris.

But over the years the tributes deteriorated and were removed and the plaques were given back to the club.

The club marks 100 years in 2023, and Rotary Club of Newcastle anniversary chair Bev Oakley said the club applied to City of Newcastle to have plaques placed back in Civic Park to celebrate the centenary.

In April 2022 the council approved a memorial garden, comprising of a tree the same species as the tree planted by Paul Harris, and replica plaques to be attached to the granite boulders.

The club received grants from the City of Newcastle and NSW government to put towards the cost of the project.

But the council later reneged on its approval and told the club another park would need to be found.

"This is due to the fact that we cannot plant any further trees in Civic Park and that CN are committed to only installing commemorative memorials for servicemen moving forward," a council representative said in an email to the club.

"I was beside myself," Ms Oakley said. "How could this happen when they've given us signed approval to do this?"

Ms Oakley said the founder of the Rotary Club of Newcastle and the charter president was Major General John Paton 1923-25, and other presidents and members were returned soldiers.

"This fulfills the requirements made by the the City of Newcastle to have only memorials for the acknowledgment of ex-servicemen and women in the park," she said.

Ms Oakley said the council offered alternative parks, which were "not suitable".

"One was Nesca Park - the club has had nothing to do with Nesca Park, there was Rowlands Park at The Junction, which is nowhere near the centre of Newcastle and Rotary Park in Hamilton, which is a glorified bus shelter," she said.

The club instead requested Centennial Park at Cooks Hill due to connections it has with the space.

"In around the 40s or 50s, council asked the Rotary club to turn the area into a park," Ms Oakley said. "It was pretty derelict, it was swamp.

"We have photos of club members working in the park, putting in playground equipment."

The council said after meeting with club members at Centennial Park, it had "identified a location that appears to be very suitable and we will await confirmation from you to commence the installation process".

Ms Oakley said a sign was placed in the park with a completion date of late September.

But she said the club heard from an outside source that a community group had objected to the proposal.

Ms Oakley said the club was then told the community would be allowed to make submissions on the idea on the council's "Have Your Say" website.

A council spokesperson said City of Newcastle had worked closely with Rotary to find an appropriate location for a memorial to celebrate the club's 100 years in a Newcastle public space.

"Given it will be installed on public land, it is appropriate that the final location be determined following consultation with the community and the Rotary Club of Newcastle," the spokesperson said.

"City of Newcastle's open spaces are highly valued by the community as places for recreation and public amenity and CN regularly consults the public regarding proposed uses of these spaces to support wide ranging activities."

Newcastle Liberal councillor Callum Pull said he had made inquiries to the council asking when and who made the decision that Civic Park was exclusively for veterans and ex-services, and whether the RSL expressed any opposition to allowing the Rotary memorial in Civic Park.

"So far I have not been provided a response," Cr Pull said.

"The general public should have at least been given the opportunity to make their opinion known as to whether the Newcastle Rotary memorial was suitable for civic park during the public exhibition period."

The Have Your Say website said the council was "seeking feedback from the community on the most appropriate location for the memorial", including Centennial Park, Nesca Park and Rotary Park.

The submission period closed on October 19. But Ms Oakley said the club was disappointed with the way council had handled the situation.

"As a Rotary club, we feel we've been badly treated and we should be going into Civic Park," she said.

"These plaques were in Civic Park, and had been in Civic Park for a long time."