By Margaret Maccoll
Three months after deferring a decision on expressions of interest submissions to manage the Cooroy RV Stopover, Council officers are recommending a new EOI process to identify a community group to run the facility.
Officers recommend a freehold permit to occupy the site be offered to a Cooroy-based not-for-profit community group which will pay an annual rent of $274 and bear all costs and responsibilities of the facility’s operation.
The RV stopover was established by Council in 2015 to address an identified need to cater for RV travellers in the Noosa hinterland. Council called for Expressions of Interest to manage the facility after findings last August that the current management agreement provided a poor financial return and patronage was “modest at best”.
In January council officers recommended current managers remain Council’s preferred managers following assessment by an EOI panel and with Council incurring an expected cost of $10,000 but at the time councillors voted to defer a decision.
A report was requested by council to consult with the car and pony club which are regular users of the adjacent showgrounds and use the toilet facilities which RV guests have not been allowed to use.The report prepared by Doug Claydon and Ray Kelly in conjunction with Cooroy Chamber of Commerce found usage of the site could be increased if the toilets were opened, the words “self-contained vehicles only” deleted from the signage and a barbecue installed.
Mr Claydon last week said attendance at the RV Stopover would not improve unless the toilet and showers were open to their use.
Council will decide on its action at its Ordinary Meeting on 19 April.
