Club in bid to increase number of events allowed each year
Wakes, weddings, corporate events - A Coffs Harbour club is seeking to increase number of functions it can hold each year.
Coffs Harbour
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The Woolgoolga Surf Life Saving Club is seeking to increase the number of functions allowed at their new clubhouse.
The brand new $4m clubhouse on Ocean street was officially opened in September last year.
The development application currently before Coffs Harbour City Council seeks to increase the number of functions allowed there to be lifted from from 10 to 40 per year, and to allow for ‘ live and amplified music’.
President Les Pepper says it was always the club’s intention to hold up to 40 events a year but this detail was overlooked in the initial approval process.
In recent months there have been weddings and corporate events held at the new clubhouse, and even a number of wakes.
In addition to the official noise reports Mr Pepper says he has been monitoring noise levels.
“We had a gentleman playing a guitar at one function and I went outside just to see if you could hear it, and I thought perhaps it could be turned down a bit, so I went inside and asked him to and he did - simple as that.
“We also held a meeting with neighbours recently and out of the twenty who turned up only two had a problem with it (the application to increase the number of events) and neither of them actually live here.”
He says the revenue raised from the functions will allow the club to keep operating and conducting rescues.
The old clubhouse just to the north of the new building has been demolished. See photo of it coming down:
Despite the dilapidated condition of the old clubhouse, some locals had called for it to be preserved or even turned into a restaurant or bar.
Les Pepper has been the president of the club, which has about 150 senior members and 250 juniors, for 24 years.
“I was one of those surfers who used to give the ‘clubbies’ a bit of a hard time but I joined because of my daughter and became one myself.
“Now I have a nine-year-old granddaughter in Nippers so it‘s gone a complete circle.”
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