Newcastle Men's Shed Finds New Home in Hamilton

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The Newcastle Men's Shed has found a brand new home in Hamilton after four years of searching for a permanent space.

The formerly unused, 300 square metre space at 99 Beaumont Street is being leased to the Men's Shed by the Hamilton Westpac branch for a peppercorn rent of just one dollar a year.

Hamilton Business Association Chair Janice Musumeci said the negotiations had been "a few months in the making". 

"It started with a conversation with Evan, the Westpac branch manager here in Hamilton," Ms Musumeci said. "We asked him what's happening with 99 Beaumont Street - what can we do to make it vibrant again?"

"We found that the Men's Shed were looking for a new space, so we introduced the two."

Newcastle Men's Shed President Neville Pollock said it was a blessing to finally find a home for the shed.

“We are really excited to have a shop front where we can sell and display a lot of our work as well as the work of other Men’s Shed in the Hunter region," Mr Pollock said. "We also plan to set up a internet workshop for the elders in the community to help them out with things like internet banking."

Mr Pollock said it was important for the organisation to give back to the community which had helped them over the past few years.

"Just generally helping the community out," Mr Pollock said. "Getting men who are in the later years, getting from sitting around watching TV, to come and join the Men's Shed, get active, get involved with the community, and give a bit of spark back to their life."

The Newcastle Men's Shed is expected to open to the public in coming weeks.

Men's Shed Secretary Wayne Grant receiving the keys from Hamilton Westpac Branch Manager Evan Reid.

Hamilton Street Art Project Back on Track After COVID-19

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Work on an art installation project celebrating the Hamilton community by decorating electricity pillars and signal boxes has restarted this week.

The Hamilton Business Association recruited artist Rebecca Murray as part of a ten-thousand dollar beautification program - unfortunately, the project was put on hold as plans changed to meet the economic demands of the COVID-19 crisis.

Hamilton Business Association Chair Janice Musumeci says the revitalized project will commemorate the suburb's history through visual narratives and vivid murals.

"We're doing some fabulous murals that are all paying homage to the culture or the relevant business that it happens to be outside," Ms Musumeci said. "When you're strolling you'll be able to see the Telstra poles now painted beautifully, and there's the signal boxes we're doing as well, with a beautiful story about the history of the building that it might be in front of."

Ms Musumeci says she and Ms Murray have also been working closely with local historian Ruth Cotton to ensure the brand new tourist attraction is still "linked back to our history."

While the street art initiative is likely to take months to complete, it is expected to be only the first of many new projects to be rolled out in coming weeks.

"As part of Hamilton Business Association establishing late last year, we asked local business people to provide feedback about how they wanted the Association to spend funds," Ms Musumeci said. "Lots of people wanted to see projects that would help beautify and attract people the precinct."

The Hamilton Business Association's planned projects include new lighting for safety and beautification, a citywide live performance initiative, and a program to help support new businesses in the precinct.

Janice Musumeci and Rebecca Murray.
Image Credit: Hunter Business Association.

BREAKING! Crews Called To Apartment Block Fire at Islington

BY IAN CROUCH

Fire crews have been called to a fire at an apartment block at Islington.

5 fire trucks from Newcastle and Lambton were called to the 3 level complex on Beaumont Street at about 4 o'clock on Wednesday morning to find a large amount of smoke issuing from the building.

Residents from 8 units were evacuated and several are being assessed by paramedics for smoke inhalation.

Firefighters found the source of the blaze in a ground floor bin room and had the fire contained within 20 minutes.

Several units are being ventilated to allow residents to return.

A fire investigation team has been called in, with the fire being treated as suspicious.

Residents Evacuated From Islington Unit Complex

BY IAN CROUCH

Fire has forced the evacuation of residents from a unit complex at Islington.

Firefighters from Cooks Hill, Carrington and Lambton were called to the three level mixed use building in Beaumont Street at about 3.00am on Wednesday to find a fire in the ground floor garbage room.

They forced entry to three upper level units fearing the fire had spread, but managed to contain the blaze to the garbage room.

No-one was injured and residents were allowed to return to their units at 4.45am.

Hamilton Misses Out On Beaumont Street Buses Again

BY IAN CROUCH

Newcastle bus operator, Keolis Downer is defending a decision not to include Beaumont Street Hamilton in it's revised bus routes.

The new timetable and routes came into force yesterday in response to a community backlash to the revised bus network announced in January.

The new network now includes more direct routes to the eastern side of Lake Macquarie, but no services down Beaumont Street, despite calls from the Hamilton Business Chamber.

Keolis Downer maintains there's no need for the service as only 60 passengers a day were using it before it was cut, and not having buses running along Beaumont Street has improved the urban amenity of the area.