By TANIA PHILLIPS
A PROPOSAL to redevelop the Salt Surf Lifesaving Club is set to go before Tweed Shire Council this week, just days before surf lifesavers across the Tweed Coast head back to the beach for the start of the official patrol season.
Tweed Shire Councillors will consider a proposal by the Salt Club to redevelop their facilities at tonight’s council meeting in Murwillumbah.
Salt Surf Lifesaving Club president Mark Humphries said it was crucial that the proposal be approved soon if the club is to get much-needed funding for the project.
“The urgency for us as a club is that there is a state grant that closes at the end of September and we are ready to go and apply,” he said.
“That grant is for up to $350,000 which will go a long way. Without approval we will be ineligible (for the grant) for another 12 months. So it is critical for us to get approval as soon as possible so we can finalise our application.”
Tweed Mayor Councillor Barry Longland said the redevelopment was to partly demolish their current structure and carry out alterations.
Cr Longland said councillors would be voting on the council staff recommendation to accept the proposal which will see the clubhouse, which currently is just a storage facility and amenities block, be redeveloped.
He said the new facility would be two storeys with a kiosk, storage and amenities on the bottom floor and the new top floor including a first aid training room, amenities, a kitchen and deck.
Meanwhile volunteers at the four Tweed Coast-based clubs Fingal Rovers, Cudgen Headland, Salt and Cabarita Beach, and clubs across NSW, start their official patrol season on Saturday and will continue to man local beaches every weekend until the end of April next year.
Cr Barry Longland said the volunteers put in thousands of hours keeping the regions beaches safe.
“Now the summer is approaching and the warmer weather is upon us the surf lifesavers are heading back to the beach,” he said.
“It is their efforts that makes our beaches so appealing.
“You can’t help being impressed by the countless hours they put in.
“I can’t express enough my appreciation for what they do.”
Salt Surf Lifesaving president Mark Humphries said the volunteers across the region patrolled beaches from 10am-3pm on Saturdays and 9am-4pm on Sundays during normal weekends and 9am-5pm on school holiday weekends.
He said that all-up the club had 250 members including their juniors but last year they had 52 members on patrol. Mark said on average each member did eight patrols – which were seven-hour days.
“I did 62 hours last year and most people average 45-50 hours in a year,” he said of the efforts of local patrol members.
