$249K boost for Papamoa Surf Club

Papamoa Surf Life Saving club received a $249,500 boost to get its new clubhouse designed and built after three years of stalled progress.

Tauranga City Council's staff recommendation was for $100,000 to pay for resource consent applications and begin detailed design.


Moves are underway to replace the Papamoa Surf Club.

Councillor Leanne Brown persuaded councillors to instead spend $249,500 so the club can continue the process towards construction.

Councillors also agreed to become a corner stone funder for the project guaranteeing just over $1 million or about a third of the project's total cost.

John Robson says of all the funding applications the councillors faced over the week, the surf club application was the most appropriate one for the council to be involved in as it was a public/public partnership.

Surf lifesavers working from the crumbling existing clubhouse saved 33 lives in the 14/15 summer. It's a fast growing club with membership increasing by about 200 over the last three years. At 14.5km of beach it has one of the longest patrolled beaches in the country.

The Papamoa Surf Lifesaving Club first went to the city council before the last election, only to run up against a raft of issues.

Concerns then were about the impact an expanded club would have on other users of the Papamoa Domain.

The club was intending a mixed use building capable of being hired by the community for a variety of events, similarly to the Mount Maunganui Surf Club.

The Papamoa Surf Club has always been home to the local guides, cubs scouts and Lions.

Council knocked back the previous design because of 'concerns about the sustainability of a building of the scale envisaged and the potential adverse effects on Papamoa Domain”.

The club presented the current smaller 1300m2 concept which refocuses the building primarily on surf lifesaving needs.

Mayor Stuart Crosby was involved in the construction of the existing surf club building – before the existence of the Resource Management Act.

'You could trim a tree, dig a hole and build a surf club. You can't do that now,” says Stuart.

The new building requires a resource consent from both the city council and, because it's within the coastal marine area, the regional council.

Council staff are also concerned about the ability of the surf club to meet the additional operational and maintenance costs that will arise, and how as a result the surf club may become heavily dependent on the facilities being frequently used by other groups and organisations.

Council staff will work with the club preparing the resource consent and lease documents, to ensure that the building can be sustainably operated and maintained.

The proposed $249,750 draft plan grant is for the project start-up costs, consisting of resource and building consent, final design, lease and procurement documentation, to be made available from July 1.

Stage 2 the $950,000 grant towards construction costs, is to be made available from July 1, 2017.

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9 comments

Money Merrygoround

Posted on 25-05-2016 17:19 | By Taffy

I am all for the life saving club having adequate premises but don,t go overboard ie needto have /nice to have. So the elected members have even gone over the staff recommendations as money allocation just to keep the process going seems the biggest cost in this is TCC,s own resource and building consents then a further $1m about one third to build that will blow out by the time it is finished what happens then if that amount say only equates to20%? Sorry I forgot the rate payers have a bottomless pit!!


Ratepayers have plenty of money

Posted on 25-05-2016 22:01 | By Annalist

Clearly the spend-up council didn't end at the last election. I predict these grants will just be the tip of the iceberg. If the club wants the support of local businesses and not just money compulsorily taken from ratepayers will they not use their ratepayer subsidised facilities as a cafe, wedding venue, gym or whatever else that competes with businesses that pay rates? The new vastly increased building will impact on the precious dunes. How about a do-up of the existing place. It wouldn't cost the millions currently dreamt of.


Hmmmm

Posted on 26-05-2016 09:08 | By How about this view!

I thought that this "Club" was asking foe $1.2 Million and guess what..... They get $1.25 Million. If I "beg" for $2 from one of our very well remunerated councillors, to feed one of the parking meters around town, could I expect an additional $50,000 if I ask nicely and say please and thank-you?


Not a lifesaving base - a palace

Posted on 26-05-2016 10:50 | By BullShtAlert

This in no way resembles the surf clubs of old where sensible buildings of a reasonable size were kept well maintained. This is an events, weddings, eating and whatever else venue. It is NOT what I pay my rates for, but my rates are being TAKEN by a Council that can't say NO and given to any group that squawks loud enough.


Residential support

Posted on 26-05-2016 11:05 | By Towball

Should be sought by council via a percentage increase on rates for all residents within for example a 10km parameter of the surf club and or beach access as this residential area is one of the fastest growing in the area with these residents far more likely to use the facility than others for example living in Bethlehem Te Puna Tauranga central but still all are expected to accept this decision and finaniciially support it . Bit like your toll road that you elect to avoid for the obvious cost no different to the Lakes Dwellers.


TCC strikes again

Posted on 26-05-2016 12:33 | By Captain Sensible

TCC strikes again with incompetence. They do not have the ratepayers agreement to throw money at this project.


Too much.

Posted on 26-05-2016 12:33 | By Jayleen Wood

Once again - is council intending to use ratepayer money to fund a business model that will ultimately compete with other existing private enterprises in the area? A surfclub, should be just that


Ridiculous

Posted on 26-05-2016 17:28 | By maildrop

It's just people having a blast, enjoying their hobby, driving about in a dinghy, masquerading as "lifesavers". Sure, they may rescue the odd idiot but so what. If someone is dumb enough to get out of their depth it's their choice. You may as well spend millions of $ on people manning every junction in the city just in case some idiot steps into the road. This is nothing more than funding a hobby.


Everyone silent until its their business

Posted on 26-05-2016 18:05 | By BullShtAlert

Just wait until you find rates somehow subsidising activities in competition with your own business and see how unfair it is. Yes to maintenance but a big NO to this overblown palace.


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