Kariaotahi Surf Life Saving has been granted landowner approval and a lease over land at the Recreation Reserve in a move that guarantees it can redevelop its clubrooms.
Franklin Local Board Chair Andy Baker says the move is somewhat technical but guarantees the club can go ahead with ambitious plans to redevelop its clubrooms.
“The club is a hugely important part of our community.
“Its volunteers do exceptional work in keeping people safe at what can be a challenging beach, and its members have done fantastic work to fundraise ahead of plans for new and much-needed facilities.
“While the move might seem technical, it means the club can occupy 2134 square metres of Karioitahi Gap Domain Recreation Reserve and gets easements over underground services.
“That means it can build a new clubhouse, develop wastewater disposal fields, and establish access and sharing arrangements with Council to use the existing bore water supply.”
The necessary motion to put the lease in place was moved by Sharlene Druyven and seconded by her fellow Waiuku subdivision member Matthew Murphy.
“The beach is a jewel in Franklin’s crown but like all open water, it has to be respected,” Druyven says.
“The people who give their time to look out over that water and who sometimes put their own safety at risk to help others, deserve to have the certainty over the land that they need to make the development happen,” Druyven says.
Murphy is not seeking re-election, having moved from the area, but says it was a pleasure to be involved in the motion as one the final acts of his time on the Board.
“That club has been involved in some outstanding rescues, so much so it has won national recognition for its efforts.
“Without its people the beach would be a much more dangerous place and the club needs to have good facilities to ensure it keeps on serving the community as well as it does now.”
The board has been a long-time supporter of the club, especially through its Coastal Rescue Services grants programme, which has funded safety equipment, including emergency flares, pelican cases, torches, lifejackets and more recently funds towards an inflatable rescue boat.
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