THE Town Beach Marine Rescue and public amenities building will get a long-awaited upgrade.
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Councillors considered the alternatives, from demolishing and rebuilding at a cost of up to $1.8 million to revamp options, before deciding on a preferred upgrade option.
There is a $300,000 allocation for the upgrade in Port Macquarie-Hastings Council’s budget.
The project will include remediation and replacement of some concrete slab areas, a reduction in the floor space of the public amenities area to make way for a Marine Rescue meeting room and additional lifeguard services storage.
Marine Rescue Port Macquarie has its radio base in the building, which also includes a kiosk, public toilets and change rooms.
The building is in a state of “serious dilapidation”.
Port Macquarie unit commander Peter Ellison said the preferred option would provide as close to possible to what the unit needed.
“It isn’t perfect but it will be an improvement on the conditions our people are operating under at the moment,” he said.
“We can provide them with state of the art equipment and they will have bigger work spaces.”
The upgrade will include an on-site incident room which can also be used for training and meetings.
Mr Ellison said the councillors had listened and saw the real need for work to be done.
“We are most grateful for their support,” he said.
“It’s a red letter day for Marine Rescue Port Macquarie and I’m going to have the pleasure of announcing this at our AGM.”
Mayor Peter Besseling said the preferred upgrade was a fiscally responsible approach.
“We are seeking to have a safe and accessible Marine Rescue facility,” he said.
He said the preferred option provided not only good value for ratepayers but addressed Marine Rescue’s needs and provided a much-needed storage area for lifeguard services.
The council will engage with other stakeholders about extra funding opportunities to cover any shortfalls and reduce the council’s financial contribution.
The outdoor seating area at the front of the kiosk will remain.