VOLUNTEERS behind a Hamilton mutual aid effort say the closure of Awaba Park for improvements has disrupted access to emergency food and supplies for vulnerable people, claiming City of Newcastle failed to consider how the space is used.
Food Not Bombs Muloobinba/Newcastle provides a free pantry, cabinets, community noticeboard and twice-weekly meal service at the park, which Liberal councillor Jenny Barrie said earlier this month had become home to "unruly behaviour".
The aid group asked the council to keep the pantry, one of few 24-hour options for free food and emergency supplies, available until new ones were installed, a request it says was ignored.
Meanwhile, the council argues it has been trying to talk to Food Not Bombs for years with little success until just recently.
Volunteer Ray 'Reizor' Cox said the group was under the impression there would be minimal disruption to the work they do.
"Instead, they fenced in the whole park and pulled everything out, and while I personally understand that that is the way council works, I think there were other options here considering the way the space is used by community," she said.
"The council's just been really careless, and this reflects the opinions of a few of the people in the association. They've approached it like any other park, they haven't really thought about the way the space is being used."
Issues with antisocial behaviour along Beaumont Street have been well-documented in recent months, giving rise to a controversial three-year CCTV trial to address concerns on the popular strip.
Awaba Park became the subject of calls for attention after reports of increased crime, drug use and vandalism, however, CCTV will not be installed there.
Work began last week on a $290,000 revamp, including the installation of ambient and security lighting, increased visibility, landscaping, new seating and an improved and waterproof donation cupboard.
The upgrades have been developed in consultation with the community, NSW Police and the state government.
While Food Not Bombs welcomes the investment in the park, it has asked that the cupboard include provisions for phone charging and has called on the council to fund an undercover area, needle disposal boxes and more rubbish bins, none of which it says are part of the plans.
A City of Newcastle spokeswoman said it had been trying to talk to Food Not Bombs since 2023 about the precinct, and for the past few years about the cupboards.
"This has included more than 20 emails, text messages, phone calls, including four site visits, which have received varying levels of response and engagement in return," she said.
"For the past year, Food Not Bombs have stated they will not engage with City of Newcastle due to our part ownership of Newcastle Airport.
"Given this position, City of Newcastle has attempted to communicate via email, with most communication left unanswered."
The council spokeswoman said that more recently there had been positive interactions between the two on the design and fabrication of a new, purpose-built, weatherproof donation cupboard.
She said the existing pantries were "unhygienic" and could not remain while the upgrades were under way given the pantry specifically was part of a construction site.
"The pantries were not demolished but, in fact, relocated by City of Newcastle to Pachamama House on Gordon Avenue, Hamilton, at the request of Food Not Bombs, so they could continue to be utilised," the spokeswoman said.
"The project upgrade at Awaba Park will deliver a more welcoming and accessible space for all members of the community to use."
The council expects the project to be completed mid-year.
Ms Cox knows how it feels to be homeless and hungry, and says a more holistic approach is needed to address the issues on Beaumont Street.
"We see lots of ways that our city tries to punish people who are just trying to survive: locking toilets instead of hiring more cleaners, removing access to water to try and discourage people from hanging around certain areas, installing security cameras to spy on people when we know they don't help prevent crime," she said.
"There's a lot of things that drive antisocial behaviour that are structural and institutional.
"It's a lot easier for people to care about society when society cares for them, and it's a lot easier to be a participant in society when you're not starving."
Food Not Bombs offers free meals on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5pm to 6.30pm outside Hamilton Train Station.
Food and personal supplies are also available at the Salvation Army and Seventh Day Adventist Church in Hamilton.
