FONOB Vision: Lets return Newcastle Ocean Baths Change room facilities to their former glory.

FONOB Vision: Lets return Newcastle Ocean Baths Change room facilities to their former glory whilst future proofing them for anticipated usage due to population growth. FONOB Inc. has submitted architectural plans to Newcastle Council Ocean Baths Team. Our expectations are cost effective, preserve the the cultural and heritage value of the Ocean Baths whilst meeting the contemporary expectations for inclusiveness by returning the ladies change rooms to the northern enclosure and allowing for open air change rooms and lockable family rooms.

To Ocean Baths Team

Cc Luke Jones.

At our committee meeting on 20 March 2023 a decision was made to forward to you, ahead of the commencement of the stage 2 CRG consultation process, an architectural drawing that displays FONOB Inc. concept of the restoration of the upper promenade change room facilities. (See attached)

Our submission titled “Friends of Newcastle Ocean Baths Incorporated (FONOB Inc) Submission to Community Reference Group re Change facilities (Change rooms)” was presented to the Stage 1 CRG consultation process in mid-2020. (See attached). Our basic architectural drawing demonstrates how additional features can be incorporated into the current footprint to meet contemporary community expectations for privacy, diversity and inclusiveness as outlined in this submission.

In summary this submission includes our vision for the restoration of the change facilities in stage 2 design.

In summary the expectations of FONOB Inc. are: • The open-air change facilities must remain. The current roofed area must not be extended. • The current size of change facilities must not be reduced but must be expanded to meet contemporary community expectations and projected population growth. • The female change facilities must be reinstated in the northern enclosure. • Options must be considered to enhance inclusiveness of the change facilities to meet contemporary expectations.

FONOB Inc. submit that our expectations are cost effective and preserve the cultural heritage and heritage value of the Newcastle Ocean Baths whilst meeting the contemporary expectations for inclusiveness. Returning the female change facilities to the northern end frees up additional space for erection of privacy change facilities.

In addition, further recent advice to us by a leading epidemiologist, Dr Catherine Bennett (Deakin University) supports our expectation that the preservation open air change facilities are essential in current times. Professor Bennett advises us that Covid-19 can now be referred to as “endemic”, one of the potentially serious respiratory diseases we have to deal with on an ongoing basis. Professor Bennett states that RSV is no longer as seasonal as it was. Currently the influenza season has started early and Professor Bennett says reference should be made to the latest NSW Health guidance policy.

https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/business/guidance/ventilation

FONOB Inc. submit, based on this advice and the above referred policy it is much easier and cost effective to preserve outdoor spaces, that effectively, the open-air change facilities are.

Furthermore, FONOB Inc. kindly request that the Ocean Baths Team forward this letter and attached documents to all the CRG members before the first CRG stage 2 meeting.

Yours faithfully

Peter J Wickham President, FONOB Inc.