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St Kilda’s New Accessible Life-Saving Clubhouse

11 February 2017

The St Kilda Life Saving Club has a new $5.6 million clubhouse with accessible facilities for every beach goer to share and enjoy.

Minister for Housing, Disability and Ageing Martin Foley today joined representatives from the St Kilda Life Saving Club to open the clubhouse.

The fit-for-purpose clubhouse is a significant upgrade for the club and includes a new patrol tower, larger training facilities, a dedicated function room, a first aid room and improved storage.

The sustainable building design incorporates water and energy-saving features and its timber cladding complements the iconic nature of the foreshore and neighbouring architectural style of the Stokehouse restaurant.

As well as delivering the best facilities for beach patrols, the new St Kilda Life Saving Club includes a Changing Places facilityExternal Link to improve disability access to the beach and foreshore, Victoria’s first public facility of its kind by the bay.

Changing Places are larger than standard accessible toilets and have extra features and more space to meet the needs of people with a disability. Each facility has a height-adjustable, adult-size changing bench, a tracking hoist system and space for two people in a safe and clean environment.

The facilities support more than 326,400 Victorians with complex disabilities and enable greater participation within the community.

The new clubhouse was supported by contributions from the City of Port Phillip and the Stokehouse. The St Kilda Life Saving Club also raised $100,000 towards the building. The Andrews Labor Government provided $1 million towards the clubhouse redevelopment.

The Labor Government has invested an additional $1.5 million to build 15 Changing Places facilities at new sites to help more people with a disability, including at Healesville Sanctuary and Werribee Open Range Zoo.

Changing Places are located at Melbourne Zoo, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Victoria Park in Ballarat and a mobile Marveloo available for public hire at events and festivals managed by Maroondah City council.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Housing, Disability and Ageing Martin Foley

“The new clubhouse is an excellent facility for our volunteer lifesavers who give their time to help keep Victorians safe in the water.”

“We need to do whatever we can to support Victorians in our community to ensure they are able to access and enjoy community spaces, local parks and tourist attractions.”

Having a disability shouldn’t preclude anyone from participating in their community and enjoying beautiful attractions such as St Kilda Beach.”

Reviewed 19 August 2020

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