Nelson Bay Golf Club’s new clubhouse will not be bigger, but it certainly will be better.
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After a fire claimed the old clubhouse, which had stood in Nelson Bay for 55 years, on Father’s Day in 2015 staff, the board of directors and contractors set about redesigning and rebuilding.
Hopes the new and improved venue would be open by June 2017 were delayed slightly by soaring temperatures and wet weather.
But the club is on the home stretch now, and staff are anticipating a July 28 open.
“Once we got the first floor slab down it really started to motor,” Peter Power, captain of the golf club, said.
“All the steel work went up, walls, the roof. The good thing now is all the scaffolding is down so you really get to see what it looks like.”
From ashes to rebuild – a history:
Mr Power, the chairman of the rebuild project control group, and general manager Trevor Harrison have worked endless hours together to see the clubhouse go from drawings to real life.
The new clubhouse has the same footprint as the old one but is “architecturally better” Mr Power said.
It has been purpose built to include more storage underneath, provide better access plus allow staff to offer more and improved services.
Within the new and modern building is a lift, a sports bar and a children’s room – services and areas the club has been able to provide in the rebuild.
Coffey Project was brought in to manage the rebuild.
EJE Architecture from Newcastle was hired early last year for the design and Club Projects have been behind the build itself, which began July 4, 2016.
Bluewater Grill, which has stuck by the club since the building and its restaurant within burned down, will return.
Additional after hours services will also be provided once the clubhouse is open and operational.
“People can come up here after 8pm and we can feed them with pizzas and good coffee from our bar,” Mr Power said.
“It’s sometimes difficult to get anything in the Bay after hours.
“We tried to think a bit outside the square about what we can do to get more people in here, what services we can offer.
“The club itself is very much community minded.”
Additionally, a new retail space has been built underneath the building which the club can lease out.
This is just one of the new avenues of income it will benefit from in the rebuild.
The function room has been moved and a bar added so guests do not need to walk through the clubhouse, plus upgraded with the latest technology making it suitable for conferences and corporate events.
The children’s and upgraded function room provide new business opportunities for the club too, sales and marketing manager Natalie Kelly said.
“We can now look at the conference market,” she said.
“We’re collaborating with Landmark and Mantra next door for accommodation.”
Ms Kelly has also been working with tourism operators around the Bay and Destination Port Stephens about furthering visitation – enticing visitors to the club, but also encouraging golfers to explore more of the Bay’s offerings.
Ms Kelly has been behind the club’s re-brand.
With a new club comes a new logo and website, plus a fresh perspective on the function, wedding and corporate business they pursue.
Opening celebrations will include eight days of member functions.
A family open day is scheduled for August 27.