Port Sorell SLSC is thrilled to announce that we are about to commence the construction of the much-needed extension to our clubhouse which will provide new change facilities for our members, and improve storage space without our existing building.
Importantly for our community, the redevelopment provides publicly accessible showers and toilets for our community by the popular Freers Beach and the adjacent Pirate Park.
After many months of work behind the scenes by dedicated members of the committee and club, we are pleased to announce that the successful tenderer for the construction of new change facilities is Devonport-based Oliver Kelly Construction.
Construction will commence during the week commencing 25 May 2020 and will take around three months to complete.
We look forward to our new facilities being open in time for the 2020/21 surf club season and serving our community and members long into the future.
What is being built?
The Port Sorell SLSC vision is “Bringing the Community to the Beach”. This is key to everything our club does.
For our community, the redevelopment provides publicly accessible showers and toilets by the beach and adjacent to the popular “Pirate Park”.
For our volunteer lifesavers, nippers and senior & master surf athletes, the extension provides vastly improved and expanded changing facilities for existing and future club members.
Why do you need an extension?
Port Sorell SLSC has grown significantly since its establishment in 1985.
The continuous growth of our nipper and surf sport programmes have seen our membership outgrow our existing changeroom and equipment storage facilities. Our popular nipper program brings more than 50 children to the beach for training twice a week and these members cram into small changerooms and queue to access showers.
The new extension provides significantly enlarged and improved change facilities and additional showers for our members.
Once complete, the new facilities will allow us to remove the existing change rooms to provide much needed additional equipment storage for our increasing numbers of rescue boards and surf skis. We will also be able to improve the existing surf lifesaving patrol and first aid room.
Members of the public frequently ask if there are public toilet and shower facilities available at the club, and are surprised to learn that there are not (particularly when our junior members are around).
We are thrilled to say that the redevelopment will provide these much needed, and frequently requested, public shower and toilet facilities.
How is the redevelopment being funded?
We are lucky to be part of a thriving, growing community and luckier still to have the support of local residents and businesses.
Port Sorell SLSC prides itself in being an important and active part of the community, in addition to providing our essential volunteer surf lifesaving patrols.
The role of the Port Sorell Surf Life Saving Club in the community is recognised within government and we are pleased to have strong and positive relationships with elected members in all three levels of government.
This redevelopment of the club has been possible only with the assistance of the local, State and Commonwealth Governments.
In addition to our charitable fundraising activities, financial assistance has been provided through grants from:
- Australian Government
- Community Development Grants Programme
- Tasmanian Government
- Tasmanian Community Fund
- Levelling the Playing Field Grant Program
- Latrobe Council
When will construction start and when will it be finished?
Construction is expected to commence during the week commencing 25th May 2020 and is anticipated to take approximately three months to complete.
The new facilities will be complete in time for the start of the 20/21 surf club season.
How much land is being cleared?
The club and our designers have worked hard to limit the impact of the extension on the surrounding reserve by configuring and locating the new building to maximise the use of the already cleared area adjacent to the footpath.
The small area of degraded bushland immediately to the south of the club, currently overgrown with non-natives, will be cleared for the building footprint. The area to be cleared is approximately 10m by 10m.
The design minimises access to the bush interface, limiting human impact, such as the introduction of non-native vegetation, which is common in other urban interfaces.
The planning approval for the redevelopment requires that a fire break be constructed to minimise the risk that a bushfire in the adjacent reserve would impact the new and our facilities. In close collaboration with Latrobe Council, significant trees have been identified and will be retained, whilst low-level vegetation with be removed to provide the required fire break.
Who can I contact for more information?
We would love to hear from you and are happy to answer any questions you may have.
Please send us a message via our Facebook page, or email us here.
