Labor is pledging $910,000 to upgrade the Kingston Beach Surf Life Saving Club if re-elected, giving the club a permanent meeting space after more than a decade of waiting.
The funding would allow the club, one of southern Tasmania’s biggest surf lifesaving organisations, to build a meeting room above its existing equipment shed and add a kiosk to help generate revenue.
“The club has over 400 members, which will mean more activity here on the beach and that swimmers and users of the beach will be safer,” said Labor’s federal member for Franklin, Julie Collins.
The club has outgrown its current facilities, which consist of only a storage shed.
Club President Danielle Campbell said the announcement was a welcome relief.
“Right now down here we have a shed which we’ve got all our boards in and all our nippers stuff in, but we don’t actually have anywhere to meet,” Campbell said.
“What we’re hoping to do is build up and have a meeting room where we can do a whole bunch of stuff and also be able to use [in] the off-season.”
The club now has more than 400 members, including 160 kids under 13 in the Nippers program and about 100 patrolling members who help keep the beach safe.
“We’ve grown fast. It’s been really hard to keep up with the momentum, which is a great problem,” Campbell added.
Club member Matilda Dalco said members had been waiting for proper facilities for over 15 years.
“It’s just going to allow us as a club, especially over the winter months when it gets colder, to meet as a club and do some extra training and invite the community in,” Dowko said.
The upgrades would also support the club’s outreach programs, including Silver Salties for older community members and the Starfish Program for children with disabilities.
