Upgraded Toronto Boating Ramp Now Open.

BY DANIELLE RIES.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald and Mayor of Lake Macquarie Kay Fraser have today opened the recently revamped boating ramp at the Toronto Lions park.

The upgrades include a new concrete ramp installation of rock revetments, a foreshore stabilisation and improvements to boat ramp manoeuvring area.

The State Government and the Lake Macquarie City Council worked together in order to upgrade the very popular boating ramp with a four hundred and thirty-five thousand dollar rehabilitation program,
just in time for summer.

Kay Fraser says the community will thoroughly enjoy these new upgrades, especially leading into summer.

"Because its such a popular area over there at the Toronto Lions Park, many many boaters use that area, got a lot of facilities there, amenities block. So it'll be great for families who launch their boats there, they'll be able to launch two, easy to get in and out of, much safer, and has a new look and a new feel so very exciting for the people over there".

Meanwhile, Scot MacDonald also explains how wonderful it is to have the state government and council work together on this project. 

"Really pleased to work with the Lake Macquarie on these. The NSW Government has put in nearly nine hundred thousand dollars. They've put in some very good submissions a bit over a year ago, and they identified what needed upgrading around the council and I think they've put a really good project together.

"They tell me there this morning that they've already applying for more funding through Boating Now and the NSW Liberal Government".

New Boating Ramp
Credit- Lake Macquarie City Council Official Website.

Dive into Swansea Swimming Pool

BY JESSICA ROUSE

More people will be diving into Swansea Swim Centre after an off-season maintenance upgrade.

The improvements were undertaken during the centre's closure over the cooler months and were worth around $700,000.

Mayor Kay Fraser believes its been money well spent.

Starting blocks. Image supplied.

"The pools are one of our most used facilities out at Lake Macquarie. We have a 50-metre heated pool out at Swansea so we had to do a new line and new membrane in the pool. We've also had to remove all the old pebbles around the edge of the pool and we've lowered that and put some sandstone in that."

The adjustable starting blocks are similar to those at Sydney Olympic Park so swimmers have the best possible facilities and the safest.

The improvements have been given the tick of approval from council's professional lifeguards who tested it out on Tuesday for their annual pre-season challenge.

Council has been systematically improving all of their pools across the area with a $2.4 million upgrade to West Wallsend in 2015, improvement to Speers Point, and there's a planned $4 million upgrade for Toronto Swim Centre as well.

The Swansea Pool upgrades are finished just in time for Learn to Swim Week which kicks off this Saturday.

"It's a very popular pool, the one out at Swansea and we've spent just under $1 million there but it's really well worth it, the community loves it at Swansea and it's very well used," said Mayor Fraser.

Mayor Kay Fraser and lifeguards Image supplied.

North Stockton boat ramp upgrades

BY JARROD MELMETH

Newcastle City Council and the New South Wales Government have joined forces to provide $850,000 for upgrades to the North Stockton boat ramp on the Hunter River.

Plans for the overhaul show the current dirt road carpark will be paved and transformed into a 42-spaces for cars with boat trailers; picnic facilities; new amenities providing disabled access; improved fish cleaning facilities; wash-down bays for cars and trailers; improved storm water drainage; and landscaping to help order traffic.

The community is advised the existing amenities block will remain open until the new one is completed and the South Stockton boat ramp will be available during the temporary closure of the northern facility as the works go ahead.

Work is expected to begin in early April and take around four months to complete with foreshore stabilisation and riverside plantings earmarked to follow.

Plans for the North Stockton boat ramp.