Gregson Park upgrades prioritised by Labor Councillors

Newcastle Labor Councillors have successfully passed a motion through City of Newcastle’s July Council Meeting to prioritise upgrades to Hamilton’s historic Gregson Park, and to explore future use options for the former Hamilton Bowling Club site.

City of Newcastle will now consult with the local community regarding upgrades to Gregson Park, which will help to form a detailed plan to manage the extensive community space which dates back to at least 1890.

Councillor Carol Duncan, who brought the Motion to Council, said that she had listened to the community’s concerns to preserve and enhance Gregson Park.

“I’ve met with many, many local Hamilton residents at Gregson Park and I’ve sought and listened to their suggestions about upgrading the parklands, the footpaths, existing amenities and the playground, and that’s why I’ve taken this action to ensure that works to enhance this historic park are prioritised by the City.”

“In particular, we now have a great opportunity to look at the future use of the former Hamilton Bowling Club site, and to seek feedback from the community about what they would like to see.”

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the successful Notice of Motion gives City of Newcastle staff an opportunity to consolidate planning for Gregson Park, to ensure a holistic approach is taken to upgrade Gregson Park.

“We’re really passionate about preserving and enhancing Gregson Park, which is one of Newcastle’s most historically rich open spaces, having played an important role for the community since the late 1800s.”

“For at least 130 years, Gregson Park has been a significant meeting space for the local community, and an important natural refuge for people living in Hamilton. We hope that by working together with the community Gregson Park will remain a wonderful community asset for all of Newcastle for many decades to come.”