North Wollongong Surf Life Saving Club has been handed the keys to its refurbished home and while more work needs to be done to the interiors, members will be able to access the venue from 8 October. Work started on the $10.5 million upgrade and the adjacent protective seawall in the middle of last year and the club relocated to operate out of shipping containers.
Members will also have to wait to use the new gym, which is currently only available for active patrolling members. The new gym will be used as a strategy to attract new patrolling members to the club and to reward the current membership. A new club canteen will also be up and running by 8 October.
“This is going to be a fantastic asset for our Nipper parents on Sundays and our patrolling members using the club during the week,” club President David Meredith told members. “The patrol room is very impressive and the observation decks are going to be a fabulous feature on those miserable patrol days.”
Upstairs the club says it has secured a well-credentialled restaurant operator and leases are being finalised with Wollongong Council.
“The deal we have secured will ensure our financial viability well into the future,” Meredith said. “At this stage, they should be operating in the New Year. When completed you will be able to use their casual dining services on a daily basis in the northern section of the club or choose seated dining in the southern section of the club which will also be available for functions.
“Sounds like a Queensland-style surf club to me!”
Meredith also thanked those committee members from the past several seasons who have supported the building sub-committee in achieving the successful outcome.
“It’s now up to the current membership to use and enjoy our great new facility to make sure we are a strong and respected volunteer surf club that the community can be proud of,” he said.
