The future of the Cronulla Sports Complex has been placed in the spotlight by a council document describing it as “an ageing asset that is nearing the end of its useful life”.
An indoor pool and gym are housed in the facility, which is the central section of the Cronulla Surf Life Saving Club building.
Opened by then Prime Minister Gough Whitlam in 1975, the sports complex involved refurbishing a building dating back to the 1930s.
Consideration was given to its age and condition during Sutherland Shire Council’s drafting of a new plan of management for the surf club building, which also includes Zimzala cafe-restaurant.
The life saving club, which sub-leases the sports complex to commercial operators, was concerned by the description of it in the draft document as “an ageing asset that is nearing the end of its useful life”.
“We are unsure of the implications of this statement,” the club said in a submission on the draft plan.
In response, the council changed the wording, saying it “understood the concerns”.
The paragraph was reworded to read, “The Cronulla SLSC Sports Complex was originally built in the 1930s. The building is located in a very corrosive environment, externally exposed to the harsh salt and sand laden coastal environment and internally being exposed to the corrosive and corroding conditions associated with chlorinated indoor swimming pools”.
A council report, recommending adoption of the draft plan of management, said the sports complex was “a substantial refurbishment of an older pavilion building”.
“The refurbished building, at a cost of $554,000, was opened in March, 1975, by then Prime Minister Gough Whitlam,” the report said.
“The refurbishment relied on earlier building works of similar age and type to the other inter war period pavilions at Oak, Shelley and Gunnamatta Parks.
“The age of this underlying structure has been highlighted in the plan of management as requiring monitoring.
“The Cronulla Sports Complex is sub-let on commercial terms and revenue earned supports club activities and to provide for future maintenance and repair of the facility.
“Council receives no revenue from this sub-lease”.
The report said the face of the sports complex was refurbished in 2007, and the exterior was painted in 2017.
The life saving club was the only party to comment on the draft plan of management, which included only minor amendments to the 2003 document.
The Local Government Act requires the use and management of community land to be governed by a plan of management.
The council report said plan of management included three distinct buildings: the clubhouse, sports complex and Zimzala Restaurant
“These buildings are very different in age, function and the impacts on surrounding areas,” the report said.
“The plan of management does not cover all of the clubhouse building.
“It only covers approximately one-quarter owned by council.
“The remainder of the building is constructed on state-owned land, being Cronulla Park.
“Over a decade ago, council approached the state government, via the Crown Lands Office, to transfer this land.
“A deposited plan was registered but the transfer did not progress and the application to transfer was ultimately caught up with the overhaul of Crown Lands legislation.
“The Crown land is not included in the plan of management.”
