A new Facebook group, Peregian Surf Club Supporters Group, formed by active members of the Peregian Beach Surf Lifesaving Club is set to reflect all community views about a renewed surf club at Peregian and share information transparently.
The Peregian Surf Club Supporters Group has been established by Peregian Beach lifesavers Leigh and Rob McCready who are “strong supporters” of Noosa surf club’s proposal, and say there is much support for it locally.
Leigh said while they were members of the Peregian Beach Community Association, they did not share the association’s call to redevelop on the current site.
“We’ve been involved in the local community for a long time, and over the years we have been members of the Peregian Beach Community Association as well as the local traders association, Community House, kindergarten, school and tennis club. We know how important a vibrant and sustainable surf live saving club is for our community,” Rob said.
Rob said the Peregian community including Peregian Springs now contained more than 11,000 residents compared to almost 7500 in 2011 and the new proposed building at 1060sqm was smaller than clubs at Coolum or Noosa.
“A new clubhouse would attract new members who would bring their friends and families; our nippers could train at Peregian again, and we could begin to re-build the sense of community which has been hard to maintain with no central meeting place,” Leigh said.
“What needs to be understood by the Peregian community is the alternative if the proposed new club does not generate clear community support. Noosa SLSC will have to walk away from their ‘caretaker’ role, and the club will be handed over to Surf Lifesaving Queensland for administration and storage purposes. There would be no volunteer surf lifesavers on Peregian Beach, no nippers, no school kids and young adults training and competing, and an outdated clubhouse building that may never open again.”
The Peregian Beach Community Association (PBCAI) president Barry Cotterell said Peregians needed a modest surf club consistent with the size of the community.
“It does not need a monster mega-structure overlooking the dunes, three times the size of the existing club house,” he said.
Mr Cotterell said moving the club seaward was unsafe and Noosa Council had advised the Noosa Club that any development application outside of the existing lease area would be unlikely to be approved.
“The Noosa Club have ignored the loss of open space and parking, the obstruction of residents’ views and the impact of noise. Peregian community is opposed to pokies or a casino to fund the surf club” he said.
“We are a smaller community here. But rather than using their huge membership numbers to impose their will on Peregian, we urge the Noosa Club to work with the community and the council to build an architect-designed club in scale with the village on the existing site.”
For more information, visit Peregian Surf Club Supporters Group Facebook on www.facebook.com/groups/PeregianSurfClub/ or text 04000 53444 to be added to the newsletter distribution list or visit PBCAI on www.facebook.com/PeregianBeachCommunityAssociation/
