Cairns Yacht Club Expansion Opportunities

Matthew Williams Director, MWA 19 Dumbarton Street McMahons Point, NSW 2060 M 0410232939 E info@mw-arch.com.au W www.mw-arch.com.au Cairns Yacht Club Marlin Marina Pier Point Road Cains QLD 4870

By Email: cyc@cairns.net.au Thursday, 31st December 2020 Dear CYC, It was very nice to talk with Margi recently, regarding the Cairns Yacht Club and it’s future. As Margi and I discussed, the CYC is an iconic and historic Club, and is deserving of a proper home that suits its functional requirements. As a regular visitor to Cairns, as well as being the designing Architect for the Cairns Esplanade and Cityport Upgrades, and a keen sailor, I have often thought about how to improve the Club’s function and service to members and visitors alike. It was very nice to talk with Margi and understand that the Club is also considering these aspects as well.

I am aware of the Clubs remarkable history, and the beauty and functionality of its preceding location. I think the challenge for the Club is, to reinvigorate that functionality and beautiful setting, and the opportunity for the city of Cairns is to create a beautiful and iconic facility, that integrates the excitement and splendour of sailing with the Cairns city experience. We have set some time aside to exploring expansion opportunities for the Club and these are included to PDFs attached.

Improved Access: Making it easier for pedestrians, vehicles, sailboats and service vehicles to access and utilise the current location, by offering further opportunities for craft access to the site and into the water, expanding the hardstand for ease of movement of boats and vehicles, and invigorating pedestrian connections to and within the site.

Improved available hardstand area; For this, we have considered ways in which to increase the available external flat floor area, that can be a combination of trafficable grassed areas and hard paved areas, to better support the movement of craft, laying out of sails, temporary boat standing, and sailboat transport and drop off.

Improved pedestrian connectivity; After winning the architectural design competition for the Esplanade project, I noticed that the pedestrian walkway sweeping along the waterfront adjacent the lagoon pool, came to be at its eastern end, quite truncated from its original intended length. We had in mind that this pedestrian route would proceed much further to the east, into the sea, providing an unique point of destination within the beautiful waterway in front of Cairns City. Reinvigorating this idea creates a building site between the extended pathway and existing hardstand.

Example Yacht Club Facilities: We looked at a number of existing successful Yacht Club facilities, to better understand their inclusions and functionality, in terms of revenue drivers, member services, administrative facilities, sailor facilities, yacht chandlery, change facilities, storage of small and light craft, as well as design potential and expression.

A new Beach for the Club: By reconfiguring the existing site, it is possible to create a generous beach, giving access for small craft into the protected waters of the Marina. It is noted that a beach was part of the previous Cairns Yacht Club Facility location, and as is currently a part of the Middle Harbour Yacht Club facility, located in Mosman, Sydney. A beach provides ultimate utility for smaller craft, is a safe place for children and young sailors, is suitable for use by all types of small craft, and is a beautiful, unique and useful setting for various groups and events. A beach in this location could also compliment the function and utility of the Salt House bar adjacent.

Yacht Club Siting; In our preliminary site planning analysis, as a consequence of expanding the hard stand area, improving the logistical configuration of that hardstand, including a beach, and extending the existing public promenade, a new building site became apparent, between the extended promenade and the existing marina arm. A building in this location could be quite unique, and offer a remarkable and interesting iconic identifier of Cairns City within the global tourist market, similar as to how the Sydney Opera House has helped to define Sydney as a global tourist destination.

For this Project I am also proposing to involve Peter Kastrup, an experienced Maritime Engineer who has previously worked at Arups, with whom I have previously worked with for the iconic Howard Smith Wharves revitalisation project in Brisbane. I include as an attachment to this Letter, both mine and Peter’s CVs for your information. AS well, I have personal relationship with Andrew McFadden, Director of PAWA Architecture and based in Cairns, that could be utilised in support of the Project.

Waterside projects are an excellent way to invigorate and make dramatic the Tourist Experience and improve amenity options for the City. A prominent site like this one, will be very attractive to the Local Authorities and Investors alike. We believe that we can, with effective management, involve Local and State Government Agencies, to assist in funding the Project (for example who can allocate funding for the creation of the reconfigured hardstand and new beach, and new above-water deck to create the building site for the Yacht Club), as well as connect with private investors, who can contribute to funding construction of the Club, with CYC as it’s permanent Tenants.

Some of my relevant local project experience is demonstrated here: Cairns Esplanade (Competition Winners): http://mw-arch.com.au/?page_id=621 Cairns CityPort: http://mw-arch.com.au/?page_id=611 Finally it would be wonderful to provide Cairns with an architectural jewel, at this beautiful location. Perhaps it will be the final piece of the City’s beautiful waterfront and will further define Cairns as an international tourist destination.

Kind regards

Mathew Williams Architect NSW Reg. 8645