Jennifer Pittorino
Altona Lifesaving Club has welcomed a Hobsons Bay council decision to issue parking permits to local lifesaving clubs.
Volunteer lifesavers in Altona and Williamstown will no longer need to pay for parking following the decision.
At its meeting on Tuesday, December 12, the council voted in favour of issuing parking permits and expanding designated parking spaces on patrol days for volunteers without having to worry about parking.
The council will provide 10 parking permits at both beaches and provide an additional six dedicated parking spaces for the volunteer lifesavers.
As previously reported by Star Weekly, the Altona Lifesaving Club submitted a petition with 82 signatures which was tabled at council’s September meeting, requesting volunteer parking passes.
At the November meeting, Councillor Daria Kellander filed a motion requesting 10 free seasonal permits be issued to both the ALSC and WSLSC, valid from November 1 to April 30 each year.
Altona Lifesaving Club president Lisa Curran said the club is very pleased with the outcome and is grateful of the support from council.
“We have had a very good working relationship with council and we are very pleased they moved this along to ensure that we could have this permits done for our volunteers,” she said.
Ms Curran said many volunteers will now return to patrol this season.
“Volunteers that were not looking at patrolling this year are back, it is great to have the years of experience that we need when patrolling the beach.”
Cr Kellander said this is a great outcome.
“In the matter of urgent business I asked for 10 parking metres to be granted to each club for the peak summer season and the recommendation has exceeded my ask,” she said.
“Instead a total of 10 designated parking bays will be made available to both lifesaving clubs, signage will be installed advising the designated parking bays are for Altona and Williamstown lifesaving clubs on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays during the summer safety period from November to March.”
