Part Two – post 1920s - Newcastle City Council

More documents

Recommendations

Info

When interviewed in 1964 about the Thomas Cook’s house Lucerna, Mrs Cutts recalled that before 1900 ‘Civic Park was a swamp and horse paddock’. 47 The land was mostly vacant when the 1889 Illustration was drawn (Figure 24). The land was still mostly vacant when surveyed in 1896 (Local History Library Map, C 919.442/34- 26, Newcastle and Suburbs Sheet 28, copy not included). 48 Subsequently timber millers and merchants Andrew Cook and Robert Breckenridge used the low-lying land on either side of the coal railway as timberyards. Several engineering workshops, including Varley’s, were built on the Darby and King Streets frontages. In 1921 Newcastle Council bought the first piece of this land as a railway siding for the delivery of coal to the Sydney (or Tyrrell) Street power generation plant. When the Town Hall was nearing completion, lots 46 and 47 (Figure 25) were bought for the Electric Supply Department but were used instead in association with beautification of the surrounds of the Town Hall. 49 Mr W Grant of the Sydney Botanical Gardens provided a simple and inexpensive landscape plan. This was the origin of Civic Park. Figure 26: Early beautification of Civic Park included an avenue of fig trees along the Burwood coal railway line In summary, the evolution of Civic Park began with the land owned by the AA Company prior to 1900s and the land use associated with the AA and Burwood Companies railways. Timberyards were established on either side of Burwood Railway in the early 1900s. Property resumed in 1920s by Council for the Electrical Supply Department was used instead for beautification of the Town Hall surrounds and provided the park nucleus. The railway corridor was resumed in the 1950s. Properties along Darby Street were resumed in the 1960s. A number of landscape plans followed and the James Cook Memorial Fountain opened in 1970. 15 Christie Park The land immediately west of Town Hall was vacant in 1929. In the 1930s council purchased additional land here extending to the Auckland Street corner for offices for 47 Interview with E M Cutts, descendant of Henry Dangar, about ‘Lucerna’, Newcastle Morning Herald 28 November 1964 p. 8 48 Newcastle Local Studies Library map C 919.442/34-26 49 Newcastle Morning Herald 12 December 1929 Newcastle Civic and Cultural Precinct History ~ Cynthia Hunter ~ January 2003 page 34
the Electric Supply Department. Christie Park was subsequently created in the intervening space, allowing for an access road around the Town Hall and Civic Theatre. Figure 27: photo shows paths and palm planting in the space between the Town Hall and Nesca building, also planting in Civic Park At the time of preparation of the Civic Park Plan of Management 1989, Christie Place was described as owned by Newcastle Council and zoned 5(a) Special Uses (Public Buildings). This provision allowed for possible development or access associated with Nesca House and other council owned property extending through to Hunter Street. The Shortland Memorial, erected as a fountain near Newcastle Beach in 1897 and subsequently removed to Reid Park in 1938 to allow beach improvements, was removed again to Christie Park in 1978. The ‘fountain’ use was not restored in 1938, or in 1978. Christie Street, a private road owned by council, provides a thoroughfare from King Street to Wheeler Place. This lane is used to provide rear stage access to the theatre for large delivery vehicles, and to the Civic Arcade building. Christie Park is used as a pedestrian thoroughfare, a rest area and is often visited at lunchtime by city office workers. The park enhances the setting of the surrounding cultural and civic buildings. 16 The Electric Supply Department and Nesca House, 1939 Newcastle Municipal Council began generating electricity in 1890. Their generating plant was east of Darby Street between Tyrrell and Queen Streets. Administration was by the council’s ‘Electricity Supply Department’ or ESD. The ESD expanded and by the early 20 th century, provided electricity to many suburban council areas as well as Newcastle. In the early 1920s the council bought the first land in Civic Park (lot 6 Figure 25) for a rail siding for the delivery of coal to the generating plant. Cook’s timber yard (lot 47) was purchased several years later for ESD and other purposes of which park use was actually chosen. Apparently in the late 1920s an electric appliances showroom was built on the corner of Hunter Street and Wheeler Place. Administration of the ESD moved into the Town Hall after 1929 until Nesca House was built in 1939. Newcastle Civic and Cultural Precinct History ~ Cynthia Hunter ~ January 2003 page 35
Page 1 and 2: We are building a civic monument se
Page 3 and 4: In the 1980s it became apparent tha
Page 5: 14 Civic Park - acquiring the land
Page 9 and 10: 17 Civic precinct development in th
Page 11 and 12: walkway and flight of stairs links
Page 13 and 14: Figure 36: 1960s aerial view of the
Page 15 and 16: After 1957, the Cultural Centre Wom
Page 17 and 18: ooks but because they should have t
Page 19 and 20: on purchases by the director. Visit
Page 21 and 22: occasions. Just two years after the
Page 23 and 24: Reaction from the community was var
Page 25 and 26: In 1909, two of Frederick Ash’s s
Page 27 and 28: in opposing light in a lengthy deba
Page 29 and 30: financier and lessee. Many jobs wou
Page 31 and 32: Stage Two was planned to be the hot
Page 33 and 34: (Part of the civic site is about 20
Page 35 and 36: 30 1992 Civic Prospectus In June 19
Page 37 and 38: complex was completed. A solicitor,
Page 39 and 40: 33 Acknowledgment of Sources Books:
Page 41 and 42: Black Diamond Hotel (right). Part o
Page 43: 1986 Figure 44 Illustration of the

Part Two – post 1920s - Newcastle City Council

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?