The Byron Bay Surf Lifesaving Club (BBSLSC) says it is ‘supportive of the overall redevelopment’ of Byron Foreshore Landscape Concept Plan proposed by the Byron Shire Council (BSC) but has raised two significant concerns.
They do ‘not support the Foreshore Concept Plan in two critical areas: (1) the location of the proposed amenities, and (2) the location of pedestrian routes,’ they state in their response to Council listed in the current Council meeting papers.
BSC proposes to move the amenities block (toilets) from its current position back to the rear of the BBSLSC saying that the previous plumbing issues that had led to its removal in 2014 could be resolved.
Kids at risk
The BBSLSC has said that this raises significant issues around managing the access of emergency vehicles to the site that occur on a weekly basis and represents a danger to pedestrians accessing the new amenities block as children and adults would be walking directly through the emergency access route.
‘The core mission of Surf Lifesaving NSW includes the reduction in preventable drownings and injury, the training and education of our youth and the provision of vital rescue equipment, safety services and support to save lives. The ability of BBSLSC to carry out those functions will be hindered by the current Foreshore Concept Plans.’
Surf club expansion
As part of the redevelopment of the foreshore the BBSLSC have also sought a potential expansion of the club.
‘We’ve got over 1,000 members and roughly 400 nippers and we’re looking to the future of the club and being able to accommodate what might be, in time, 2,000 members,’ Club Captain, Michael Gudgeon, told The Echo.
‘We want to provide a community hub that nurtures youth development as well as provide places for people to train and do their education.’
BSC say that an expansion of the BBSLSC would reduce the public park space and impact the views from properties on Bay Street. However, the BBSLSC have said in their response that, ‘any proposed club expansion would not have a material impact on the playground’.
Staff have recommended Council provide $5,000 to the club ‘to undertake an assessment of the structural asset life of the building to inform this future planning’ but have also stated that ‘the surf club would also need to consider potential risks that could result from renegotiating a change in lease tenure / terms between the surf club and Crown Lands.’
‘There’s definitely conflicting uses in there, which we’re still talking about,’ Captain Gudgeon told The Echo.
‘The surf club is working with councillors and Council staff to come up with a solution to the situation that satisfies the community.’
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