Papamoa Surf Club is fighting a battle on two fronts - keeping an ageing and decaying structure in use while trying to overcome city hall suspicions about the plans for a replacement clubhouse.
The club has 655 members and is seeking community support for what is developing into an uphill struggle in building a replacement clubhouse.
Papamoa Surf Club chairman Matthew Pickering.
During a recent council committee meeting Mayor Stuart Crosby said he thinks the project is too big for the club to handle and he doubts the two storey building will be ‘just a surf club'.
Surf club officials say Papamoa has never been ‘just a surf club'. Right from its construction about 20 years ago the building has been a community facility, used by the local Lions Club, Scouts, Girl Guides, Cubs and Brownies.
Those relationships are expected to continue in the new building, but the main requirement is for additional storage, says club chairman Matthew Pickering.
He says three containers full of club gear are currently being stored out the back of the current club, the basement is crammed, changing rooms are doubling as storage areas and water damage has prevented access to some parts of the building until repairs can be made.
The club wants to replace the decaying and small 400m2 building with a 2147m2 two storey building. Most of the basement floor will be used to store machinery and surf lifesaving gear and as a workshop area – with the floor being mostly set into the sand dune.
The new building will also contain a watch control room, a St John paramedic centre, changing rooms, toilets, showers, a gym/training area, a kitchen and bar area, and multi-purpose meeting and congregation areas for club members, community groups and other users.
Matthew points to the recently completed Muriwai Surf Club as the style and standard they hope to achieve, which sets a new standard for surf life saving club amenities in New Zealand.
The Australian-style beachfront facility not only provides a home for leisure and interest groups, it is a purpose designed educational facility, a gathering point for the local community, and the foundation of a strong and prosperous volunteer lifeguard service.
Apart from the mayor, other councillors were quick to support the concept saying if the surf club was able to fundraise by leasing out its facility, then it would no longer need to constantly go to the council for money.
17 comments
surf clubhouse
Posted on 14-04-2013 16:31 | By blinky
I am all for the new clubhouse for the surf club It is a multi function building that we badly need Noel Dodunski
Still looks like delusions of gradeur whatever spin you give it
Posted on 14-04-2013 16:47 | By EYESPY
Yes it is readily accepted that citizens all need to support the local Surf Clubs but the existing Papamoa surf club building looks much the same size as the Mount Surf Club one of the other top clubs in the area.So remind me why does Papamoa need an edifice that has a floor area around the size of 10 large modern day homes for heavens sake.Let's guess it is to accommodate other activities that have nothing to do with surf club work and have no business being on Coastal Reserve land nor would they meet the spirit and intent of the NZ Coastal Policy Statement.Certainly the existing clubrooms could do with some TLC and proper maintainance work then perhaps it may not look so tired and run down.Doesn't look like it has ever been properly maintained over past 20years. TCC council have every reason to be suspicious and apprehensive about the projected size nature and obtrusiveness of the whole scheme.
Use by Date
Posted on 14-04-2013 17:01 | By Viking
Crosby/ Papamoa Beach = Conflict of Interest. Time to go Crosby.
Get it done ..
Posted on 14-04-2013 17:03 | By Rusty Kane
This is a no brainier .. The Papamoa Surf Club needs to be replaced with a new facility suitable for it's and the wider Papamoa community .. Mayor Stuart Crosby's comments are not warranted .. the council with the Papamoa community need to get behind this project pronto .. It's a community asset not just a Surf Club ..
money
Posted on 14-04-2013 17:20 | By traceybjammet
if they want to have a decent surf club and its for rescue storage training etc and for the public and to raise money lets see them raise some money to start. Look at the Mt surf club best spot in the bay and they make it difficult to hold functions there which would raise funds for the club instead of standing on corners with buckets they could be doing club brekky fundraiser and all sorts of things afternoon tea by the sea etc of course yhey would have to work in with the local cafes but it could be done so if Papamoa gets more council money are they actually going to use it for the community and fundraising and welcome people onto the premises
Lives Plus Community
Posted on 14-04-2013 17:27 | By tabatha
Funny how things change when someone else wants to upgrade and make better amenities that some people in power and will most likely only open the building, put up road blocks. I have not seen PSLC asking for council money yet, but approval to look at the project. Please EM's look at this carefully and think of the use the building will get.
Let them get on with it
Posted on 14-04-2013 19:16 | By Steve Morris
To provide the services we as ratepayers enjoy surf clubs need to fundraise. I say let em go for it, if they have an occasional wedding or conference there so what?? It means less requests to council for funds. The Mayor strongly supported the continuation of the lease of the Bluebiyou restaurant next door five minutes earlier at the meeting and good on him for that (it's a Papamoa icon). Surely if he can support a business he can support a voluntary organisation as well?
Sounds Great to me
Posted on 14-04-2013 20:06 | By carpedeum
So good to be looking ahead !! Multi use facilities are a good use of Community Funds - help to pay any loans off too.
Difference between a clubhouse and a monstrosity
Posted on 14-04-2013 21:09 | By Contradictus
There's got to be a balance. Of course the club must have good facilities but does it need to chop through more big chunks of the precious sand dunes? It would also be good to see it hired out for weddings as there aren't other venues in the area. But I'd be disappointed if it became an overblown bar and cafe. I'd also feel a bit sorry for Blue Bayou if public money went into competing with them. That's just not right.
New Surf Club
Posted on 15-04-2013 06:49 | By Stuart Crosby
At the Council meeting where the proposal to upgrade the existing surf club I made it very clear that I support the upgrade particularly the need for more storage.I also urged caution on some elements of the proposal due to cost and ongoing maintenance.By way of back ground I was the Chairman of the Trust that developed the existing facility and was the President of the Papamoa Lions Club who built it at the time of construction.I also gave a considerable amount of volunteer time for the facility.I will continue to support the upgrade as well as highlighting potential pitfalls based on experience.Stuart Crosby Mayor.
Unbelievable
Posted on 15-04-2013 08:11 | By Jitter
What is wrong with Crosby ? The building planned will be a major community asset and will not be paid for by ratepayers. When you see how many community organisations use the current facility, the current state of the existing building,the fact that the surf club has grown out of the existing space it is obvious a new and much larger building is necessary. It definitely sounds as though Crosby has a hidden agenda.
Money vs a rubber stamp
Posted on 15-04-2013 09:37 | By Jolene Publique
From what I understand they have all the money to build the new building, so traceybjammett, that answers your question. All they need is a stamp to approve the build. It makes sense to build something that is able to financially support itself. People will not want to hire a room in its current state so they will need to have it looking nice. Papamoa is getting bigger and so things need to change with that. The Mount and Omanu clubs have facilities for events, so should Papamoa. EYESPY - you talk about the size of 10 modern day homes, the club has over 655 members, throw in some parents and you have a great justification for it. It makes sense for other clubs such as Lions, Cubs, Scouts to use the building as well, especially in winter where else is there in Papamoa except the library?
How about a swap?
Posted on 15-04-2013 10:21 | By Bronzewing
The motor camp on the sand dunes is a commercial business. The surf club are a community organisation. Why don't they make some of the land in the motor camp available to the surf club or return it to natural dunes? Oh no that won't work will it Mr Crosby, your family run the motor camp. He needs to get his head out of a very dark place. If the club can get funding for the building and make it available for community organisations to meet then go for it. After all the Council is so far in debt through inept leadership, it can't afford to build places for community organisations to meet.
Big changes planned
Posted on 15-04-2013 10:40 | By YOGI
Why not ask TCC for everything, TCC have handed mega dollars to hockey and to Cricket. These outfits are not as meritous as Life Saving so TCC will give them millions, they just wont be able to help themselves
top 10 encroachments
Posted on 15-04-2013 13:24 | By ammer01
Using the Tauranga city council web view xtra mapping, by turning on the legal boundary level, it would appear that the top 10 campground has some serious encroachment issues onto reserve land. Will this be addressed by council's encroachment onto coastal reserve policy and spray out and replant the encroachments with native plants?
Gotta Have it
Posted on 15-04-2013 14:11 | By Chalky66
The surf club definitely needs to be upgraded that is a no brainer however I believe it should only be renovated/ replaced on its current footprint. How often does the club actually play host to the 655 members at any one specific time? And before any of you haters start bagging me I restate that I'm in total support of the club but just don't think we need to replace the club on such a grandiose scale that involves eating into any more of the dunes. Just saying...
Some merit...however
Posted on 15-04-2013 16:47 | By kiwisan
I live at Papamoa and surf at the domain. The problem with extending the surfclub down towards and boardering the domain itsself is that when the 30 odd clubies go and practice out front of the club on mass on there paddle boards it becomes a nightmare for anyone else using the beach. They seem to feel they have a god given right to monopolise the beach and waves like a scourge of coachroaches.( not to mention the IRBs charging around too) At the moment they tend to stick to the area out front of the club. I think it should be rebuilt on its existing footprint . It gives everyone a bit of room! Yes i know people will moan about the surfers too but hey..we all need the space.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to make a comment.