Mount lifeguard tower to be rebuilt

Mount Maunganui Surf Lifesaving Club. Photo/file

Tauranga City Council has agreed to fund half the costs of rebuilding the Mount Maunganui Surf Lifesaving Club's leaking and unsafe lifeguard tower.

In a package worth $200,000 the council will contribute up to $65,000 for the tower and up to $135,000 to upgrade the emergency and first aid room.

Yesterday's decision was part of this week's deliberations by the council on its 2015-25 Long Term Plan.

Councillors heard that the club had been working with council staff for 18 months. The original intention was not to come to the council for help but they had struck difficulties raising all the money.

Deputy mayor Kelvin Clout said the decision would be well received by the community because the Mount Main Beach and Mauao were iconic in the Bay. Fifty-two per cent of people that required assistance were locals and 40 per cent of incidents were on or around Mauao.

Councillor Rick Curach agreed that the club provided a high level of public good outside its surf life saving role.

Councillor Catherine Stewart opposed the grant, saying that while the club did an amazing job, she believed they could get the rest of the funding through other charities.

The club told the council that the tower was an unsafe working environment for lifeguards and in critical need of a rebuild.

Other sports and community groups to benefit from council decisions yesterday included;

- A $53,000 grant for replacement cricket nets at Blake Park for the Mount Maunganui Cricket Club
- Work with Sport BOP and the Tauranga Hockey Assn to develop a business case for the development of a third artificial turf.
- Proceed with the planned sale of the Arataki Community Centre to Bay Venues Ltd. The council will work with Sport BOP, Arataki Sports Club and Bay Venues on opportunities for further community access to the centre.
- Consider future investment in age friendly fitness equipment in future annual plans following construction of the outdoor elder gym in Kulim Park.