<< Peninsula New 13 June 2006 - Council proceeds with surf club rebuilding >>

Council proceeds with surf club rebuilding

Gosford Council has resolved to spend almost $6.5 million on the construction of Ocean Beach, Umina Beach and Copacabana Surf Clubs.

The construction will be funded by loans, levy rates and grants.

Funding will include $865,000 from the accumulated reserve funds from council's water safety levy rate, $1 million from internal borrowings from council's waste disposal facilities reserve, $175,000 from a surf club facility development grant, $100,000 from capitol works funds for the replacement of the Ocean Beach toilets and $4,349,818 from remaining special purpose loan funds.

Council resolved to approve expenditure of currently accumulated reserve funds from the Water Safety Levy Rate totalling $865,000 and the additional rate revenue of $230,000 a year internal borrowings of $1 million from its Waste Disposal Facilities Reserves at its meeting of June 6.

The $1 million would be repaid by Water Safety Levy funds of $125,000 over 11 years.

Council has also resolved to seek an external loan of $6 million to fund the construction of Killcare and Wamberal Surf Club buildings and repay the remainder of the money borrowed from the Waste Disposal Facilities Reserves.

Council has reported that a total budget of $11 million would be needed to fully fund reconstruction of the surf club buildings.

Council also resolved to pursue all opportunities to secure other funds to repay the external loan via surf club facility grants, regional partnership funding, the sale of surplus council land and possibly the inclusion in an extraordinary rate increase to fund civic infrastructure.

Council also resolved to seek a report on how the beach inventory for all surf clubs and life guards could be maintained at a satisfactory level using the remaining funds in the water safety levy, following a request from Cr Jim Macfadyen.

At a meeting on February 7, council resolved to invite tenders from seven short-listed companies for the design, development and construction of Ocean Beach and Umina Surf Club buildings.

A design for Killcare Surf Club building is also currently being prepared by consultant architects Andrews Neil Pty Ltd in discussion with the club.

It is expected that a development application will be submitted by July.

Tenders for the design, development and construction of Ocean Beach and Umina Beach Surf Club buildings closed on April 11 with McKenzie Building and Construction Pty Ltd awarded the tender.

The works include demolition, preparation of detailed construction drawings (preliminary design and DA drawings have been approved), obtaining a construction certificate and construction.

The buildings are two stories with floor areas of 800 to 900 square metres including boat/surf craft storage, café/kitchen areas, amenities, function rooms, store rooms, passenger lift, external decks and ancillary areas.

The construction period is 41 weeks and the work is scheduled to commence late August.

Council agenda SF.19, June 6