It can often be forgotten about, but now Shortland’s very own town centre facelift is complete.
Newcastle Council has down the work as a part of their Local Centres Program. The upgrade at Shortland included new footpaths, safety improvements and a vibrant community mural.
The safety improvements have been a long time coming with the installation of a new pedestrian refuge and road cushions, as well as the introduction of a 40km/hr zone in areas of high pedestrian activity along the busy Sandgate Road. A new light traffic thoroughfare will also remove heavy vehicle traffic over 10 tonnes between Wetlands Place and Vale Street.
Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the upgrade delivers a safer and more appealing public space for the Shortland community.
“It’s wonderful to see this new space delivered for Shortland residents. This project, which was proposed in a notice of motion by former Ward Four Councillor Jason Dunn, has been well supported by the community, who told us that they wanted safer, easier access to support local businesses,” said Cr Nelmes.
“In earlier consultation we heard concerns about access to parking, particularly on mornings when bins are put out for collection, and the changes to parking delivered as part of this upgrade make it easier to get here and shop locally.”
A community mural celebrating Shortland’s unique character has been installed on the side of My Community Pharmacy on Hansen Place, while new landscaping and seating will also make the area a nicer place to visit and shop. The design of the mural was developed by local artists UP&UP in collaboration with students from Shortland Public School, Margaret Jurd College and Our Lady of Victories school.
Caitlin Horacek from Shortland Hair Co. on Sandgate Road said they’re really excited Shortland has gotten the recognition it deserves.
“Its the hub of the community here and utilised by a lot of the local residents so we’re really excited and it looks unreal,” she said.
“We’ve got two schools on Sandgate Road here so we’re excited that the speed bumps have slowed down traffic and letting people cross the road safely to utilise the businesses.”
“Definitely it has already increased foot traffic. The footpath here has made it more accessible for elderly clients as well as our younger families moving into Shortland with prams,”
“After a roller coaster year with lockdowns all the small businesses are excited about the increased foot traffic because we’ve all struggled a little bit,” said Caitlin.
The upgrade will be complemented by improvements to shopfronts along the shopping precinct, with three businesses receiving funding under this year’s Façade Improvements Scheme. The grants help fund repairs and building façade improvements to create active frontages and enhance the city’s presentation.
The Shortland project was completed under City of Newcastle’s Local Centres program, which is delivering upgrades to suburban centres across the local government area. Previous projects have included James Street Plaza, Hamilton, Llewellyn Street, Merewether and Joslin Street, Kotara, while an upgrade is due for completion later this year at Mitchell Street, Stockton.