Plea to ‘save’ surf club
Kirra appeals for lease of heritage-listed building
ALMOST 1500 people have signed a petition urging the Gold Coast City Council to return Kirra Pavilion to the Kirra Surf Life Saving Club.
The online petition calls for the lease, held by Pizza Hut, to be given to the club “to be used solely for the purposes of surf life saving activities”.
It also says the heritage-listed building is in urgent need of repairs and maintenance, with members claiming roof leaks and damaged windows are among major issues.
As of yesterday afternoon 1321 had signed. The petition has been live for less than a week.
Club president Michael Hill said the petition was a desperate attempt to draw public attention to the situation.
“For the past 35 years it has been leased out so I’m trying to secure the future of the surf club –, it needs to expand,” he said.
“Being in a heritage-listed building means there’s no real room to expand and having a current tenant that takes up a third of the space, plus another portion of the area for public toilets and surfboard areas, it’s getting a bit tight.
“It’s also to raise concerns over the building and our constant battle with council to get repairs done.
“And it’s the fact if they do lease it out, they could lease it to direct competition for the Supporters Club upstairs.
“If they do, we will not survive, our Supporters Club would have to shut down.”
The issues over management of the building stem from its heritage-listed status, which makes it difficult to renovate A GROUP of humpback whales has been spotted playing off Lennox Head in northern NSW, marking an early start to the whalewatching season.
Out of the Blue Adventures was on a pre-season cruise from Ballina to Cape Byron when the breaching whales were spotted.
Owner Dean Suchs said they saw three juvenile humpbacks.
“They were playing, breaching and fin-slapping, just testing their capabilities because they’re young,” Mr Suchs said.
“All the juveniles start heading up around this time and then the older males will come through soon after.”
Whale sightings typically begin in early July, when the males begin their migration north for mating season.
They will travel an average of 5000km, which is one of the longest migratory journeys of any mammal.
Mr Suchs said the best time for whale watching was towards the end of July, before the whales begin migrating south in August and September. The end of July is also the perfect time for a chance to see the famous white whale, Migaloo. or upgrade any facilities. Kirra SLSC, started in 1916, is the second-oldest surf club in Queensland.
Local councillor Gail O’Neill confirmed she was willing to present the petition to the council, but was quick to allay fears the lease may go to competitors.
“Precise instructions were given to the leasing agent to ensure that doesn’t happen, we don’t want any direct competition to the surf club,” she said.
“I can tell you as a matter of fact some of the people who didn’t make the shortlist were given the reason that what they were offering was too similar to the Supporters Club.
“That’s not council’s intention at all and that’s why there’s an expression of interest process. We want to make sure we get a good tenant in there that pays good rent but doesn’t detract from the Supporters Club activities.”