Repurposing Holmesville Tennis Courts to a Men's Shed and Community Garden

The West Wallsend District Sustainable Neighbourhood Group (WWDSNG) proposes the re-use of this site for a Men's Shed and community garden. This is part of our action plan for the district, which was developed from community consultation at our inaugural meeting. This site is particularly suitable for these activities as it is flat, surfaced, secure, and has existing amenities. The community garden in particular could be established quickly and cheaply with the addition only of raised garden beds and soil. As well as the the well documented social benefits of Men's Sheds and community gardens there are other aspects that such facilities could be used for, including:

• Propagation of native plants from the local bush which is fast disappearing by development. These could then be made available to homes for garden placement.
• The opportunity to have a "Kid's Shed", which could teach appropriately aged children some practical life skills in a non-school environment.
• The formation of a "DIY Clinic" to provide advice for people wishing to start their own project.
• The formation of a recycling centre, where old furniture, toys, equipment, etc. could be refurbished for resale rather than dumped.

We believe that the above projects fulfill the aims of the Sustainable Neighbourhood movement and would be a worthy addition to the local amenities.

Paul Lindsay, secretary, WWDSNG