More Accessibility Improvements On The Cards For Newcastle's Pools

BY OLIVIA DILLON

Newcastle Council is coming through on it's promise to make the city's five inland pools more accessible for visitors. 

It's delivered a new accessible change room at the Wallsend Swimming Centre, as part of a $1.25 million commitment to make the swimming experience in Newcastle more inclusive. 

Councillor Margaret Wood, says there's an increasing demand for improved facilities.

"About 17% of our population have a disability, and we also have an ageing population and we know that disability tends to increase with age, particularly mobility issues. So, we want everyone in our community to be able to participate fully in these community facilities," she says. 

She says the next phase of works will focus on helping visitors enter the pools. 

"The next step along the way is to create accessible pools in all of our facilities, and that will involve investigations into which is the best way to allow people to enter our pools, so we're looking at things like platforms, lifts, hoists and the like."  

Council Inspectors Check Buman Boarding House

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

Further moves look likely, but residents of Aaron Buman's Adamstown boarding house have been granted a temporary reprieve from eviction over Christmas.

Council officers conducted an inspection of the Victoria Street property yesterday, finding a number of issues relating to fire safety and unauthorised works.

Those will be assessed in coming weeks to see if any regulatory action will be taken - the inspection comes after residents of the former councillor's Mayfield and Carrington boarding houses were forced out because the buildings do not comply with building codes.

Council CEO Jeremy Bath said claims City of Newcastle is targeting Aaron Buman are untrue.

"Frankly [that] isn't supported by evidence because we are doing a compliance check on every single boarding house in the city," Mr Bath said.

"Earlier this year, a boarding house which is not operated by Mr Buman was actually shut down due to the inherent fire safety risks and a number of other issues that existed within that boarding house.

"We need to recognise that the people living in boarding houses are the most vulnerable people in our community," he continued, "they do not have any sort of position of strength with which to negotiate with the operator if they have concerns about the safety. It is Council's job to go there on behalf of these vulnerable people and to ensure their homes are safe to live in - that's all we're doing."

There are over 50 men living in the Adamstown property, many of whom fear they will be left homeless as others were in September.

The Victoria St Boarding House. Image: Google Maps. 

Luxury Hotel To Replace Council Administration Building

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

The City of Newcastle will soon welcome its first five-star hotel to King Street.

Council CEO Jeremy Bath has inked a deal this morning, selling the 'Roundhouse' City Administration Centre to hospitality and hotel group, Crystalbrook Collection.

The sale price has not been revealed.

Crystalbrook are planning to transform the Brutalist-design building into the 'Kingsley' - a luxury, 136 room hotel complete with a swimming pool, rooftop restaurant, lobby bar and cafe with an outdoor terrace.

Novocastrians won't have to wait long to see the hotel complete, with construction to begin as soon as City of Newcastle staff relocate from the CAC to their new premises on the corner of Hunter Street and Stewart Avenue, in a $7 million move designed to draw bereaucrats out of the city centre and create a new CBD in the west.

It's hoped the Kingsley will be ready to receive guests by November 2020, in time for the Newcastle 500.

Jeremy Bath is hailing the sale as a win-win, promising beneficial flow-on effects.

"We have delivered for ratepayers an exceptional result," he said, "Indeed, we have delivered the best of both worlds - a financial sale well beyond our valuation of the building which will also generate a significant number of jobs."

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes is confident the Kingsley forms the missing piece of the puzzle in Newcastle's revitalisation.

"The location of the Kingsley will, overnight, reinvent the Civic Precinct," she said, "guests staying in the luxury hotel will now be within just 100 metres' walk of the Civic Theatre, Newcastle Art Gallery, Newcastle Museum and the Civic Playhouse.

"The existence of a five-star hotel complete with a light rail station immediately across from it will finally create the thriving cultural precinct our city has longed for," Mayor Nelmes said.

Cystalbrook Collection CEO Mark Davie said it was that centrality, and Newcastle's recent transformation through the light rail, which drew him to the Roundhouse site.

An element of history has been alluded to in the hotel's name, with early settlers dubbing Newcastle as 'Kingstown' in 1804.

Artist's Impression: The CAC recognisable but refreshed as the Kingsley. 

Helping Hand Still Available for CBD Traders

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

Newcastle business owners are being reminded there is still rate relief available from City of Newcastle.

Those impacted by light rail construction can receive a share of $400,000 from Council, but so far 102 applications have resulted in the payout of just $37,000.

Rebates have been returned to 95 applicants in the first 10 weeks of the program, which is open for the duration of the 2018/19 financial year.

To be eligible for the scheme, a CBD business needs the property owner to have paid their first quarterly rates, which were due in August.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes says the helping hand has been available since July, but many traders must be unaware of it.

"The state government hasn't given compensation to the businesses affected by light rail construction but this is something that Council's been able to do and still be able to deliver a $100 million works budget through the city," she said.

"There are hundreds of local small businesses that are yet to apply for rate relief. Clearly many are unaware that the funding exists....The process of application is straight forward, and businesses can apply at any time throughout the current financial year," the Lord Mayor continued.

Anyone interested should complete an application form together with details of tenants (with their signature) where applicable.

Long slog: Transport Minister Andrew Constance in Newcastle to unveil the first light rail vehicle for testing.