Brighton Surf Life Saving Club's "tired" and much altered A-frame building may soon be replaced with a modern, more community-focused facility.
President Scott Weatherall said plans to upgrade the clubhouse had been discussed for a couple of years, but the focus recently switched from renovation to rebuilding.
The A-frame was built in 1976 and had undergone four renovations when the club began looking at a fifth.
"What we've got at the moment is a functional facility, but it's dated and tired.
"All we've done is a lot of extensions and we were looking at an extension programme, but that was going to be about $400,000," he said.
The club then approached G.J Gardner Homes which priced a purpose-built facility at $568,000, although that price would be reduced to about $450,000 with supplier contributions, Mr Weatherall said.
The building would have greater storage for club equipment, and would also feature a hall and meeting room.
It was envisaged the latter areas could be used for wedding receptions, Surf Life Saving New Zealand's beach education programmes, school holiday and after-school care programmes, as well as meetings for community groups.
"It'll be tidy, warm, with a fantastic view, and affordable.
"We want a community facility and we are focused on that, but it's got to be a surf life-saving club first," Mr Weatherall said.
Obtaining funding would be the focus of the next year, with $30,000 already received from the Alexander McMillan Trust and AAW Jones Charitable Trust.
Further applications to other trusts were pending, and the club intended to run "buy a brick" and corporate identification programmes, along with an auction.
If everything went to plan, it was hoped the building would be ready for the club's 75th jubilee celebrations in October next year, Mr Weatherall said.
One "sticky point" would be the removal of the existing building. If possible, the club wanted someone to remove it from the site, to keep destruction costs as low as possible.
The proposed development will be discussed at a public meeting at the club at 7pm today.
