In Australia, we’re fortunate to have a climate that’s perfect for spending time outdoors. For clubs, this presents a prime opportunity to take advantage of the year-round outdoor weather. This is exactly what inspired Altona Sports Club to rebuild its deck.
“We’re right on the beach in Altona, so we’re very lucky where we’re situated. We’ve got an ocean view out the back, so we thought we needed to build a really good deck out there so people can sit there and have a drink or have functions or corporate events,” said Altona Sports Club chief executive Gavin Comport.
The club is located in the charming coastal suburb of Altona, just 13 kilometres southwest of Melbourne, and backs onto Altona Beach. While there was previously a deck overlooking the water, it didn’t compare to what the club has now.
“Our small function room had a very small deck, and it needed a refurbishment – it was very well and truly long overdue for one. The old deck could hold 50 people if we were lucky, but now we can accommodate 200,” Comport explained.
Since the renovation, Comport says the response has been overwhelmingly positive.
“People love it. It’s really increased our functions. People now want to utilise the space for events, whereas previously, it was a real struggle to sell that space.”
The new deck is connected to the club’s newly refurbished function room but is also available to patrons when there are no functions.
“The idea is to have a space that people can use, especially in the summer, down by the beach. We want people to sit down, enjoy the view, and take it all in on a good summer’s day.”
In addition to the new deck, the club has also installed a half-court basketball court.
“A lot of teenagers have started coming down with their parents. It’s made a big difference to the demographic we can attract,” Comport noted.
“We’ve already got a couple of soccer goals, and we used to have portable basketball rings, but it used to get a good hammering and got damaged here and there. So, we thought let’s spend a bit of money and put in a proper half-court basketball court. It’s NBA standard, so people can have three-on-three matches if they want a bit of competition.”
Comport emphasised the importance of this addition to attract families to the club.
“There are a lot of young families in Altona, so it’s very important for us to create a space they want to come to,” he said.
This is an extract from Club Management Spring. Read the article in full here.