The path has finally been cleared for a more than $3.5 million redevelopment of the Point Lonsdale Surf Life Saving Club after the Borough officially handed over the title to an adjacent block of land.
The one dollar transaction, formalised in recent days, means the club can now start work on designing and fundraising for the new facility.
“The Building Committee can plan for this and proceed with 100 percent certainty and the fundraising committee can also start the significant task of fundraising with 100 percent certainty for donors,” said president Matthew Ponsford.
Plans for a new clubhouse were first floated in a 10-year strategic plan in 2007. A dedicated building committee spent the following years investigating as many as a dozen potential locations.
“Very simplistically that was to look to see if there were any options for the club to relocate onto crown land and to be able to realise, to be able to sell this land,” Mr Ponsford said.
“We looked at a whole range of sights and we had endless meetings with a whole range of government departments and obviously with the Borough of Queenscliffe along the way and it wasn’t until July two years ago when we got to the point where it was going to have to be this site. “
Alternative locations included coastal land opposite the club, the Rip View car park, the Springs and the Lakes Estate.
Bellarine MP Lisa Neville was eventually brought in to help broker a stand-off between parties over the purchase of neighbouring BoQ owned land, already used by the club to house equipment.
“I think the obvious solution was of course this solution, that the club remain here. They were never going to build something in the dunes, it was just never going to happen. It needed to be here, with one of the roughest beaches around we needed the club here servicing the community…. In the end it was easy,” she said.
“It’s a real testament to the Council, to the club that we’ve got to this point and I think it’s a great outcome for this community.
Point Lonsdale is the only club in Victoria that owns the land its clubhouse is located on.
Asbestos concerns ruled out any thoughts of the existing building being retained and renovated.
The one dollar transaction, formalised in recent days, means the club can now start work on designing and fundraising for the new facility.
“The Building Committee can plan for this and proceed with 100 percent certainty and the fundraising committee can also start the significant task of fundraising with 100 percent certainty for donors,” said president Matthew Ponsford.
Plans for a new clubhouse were first floated in a 10-year strategic plan in 2007. A dedicated building committee spent the following years investigating as many as a dozen potential locations.
“Very simplistically that was to look to see if there were any options for the club to relocate onto crown land and to be able to realise, to be able to sell this land,” Mr Ponsford said.
“We looked at a whole range of sights and we had endless meetings with a whole range of government departments and obviously with the Borough of Queenscliffe along the way and it wasn’t until July two years ago when we got to the point where it was going to have to be this site. “
Alternative locations included coastal land opposite the club, the Rip View car park, the Springs and the Lakes Estate.
Bellarine MP Lisa Neville was eventually brought in to help broker a stand-off between parties over the purchase of neighbouring BoQ owned land, already used by the club to house equipment.
“I think the obvious solution was of course this solution, that the club remain here. They were never going to build something in the dunes, it was just never going to happen. It needed to be here, with one of the roughest beaches around we needed the club here servicing the community…. In the end it was easy,” she said.
“It’s a real testament to the Council, to the club that we’ve got to this point and I think it’s a great outcome for this community.
Point Lonsdale is the only club in Victoria that owns the land its clubhouse is located on.
Asbestos concerns ruled out any thoughts of the existing building being retained and renovated.