Olympian Emma McKeon on the steps of the North Wollongong promenade that has been named in her honour. The promenade will be extended to the North Beach Bathers Pavilion this year. Photo: Zoe Cartwright.
A facelift for North Gong Beach will begin at the end of February.
The Emma McKeon Promenade will be extended to replace the ageing crib wall between the North Wollongong Surf Club and North Beach Bathers Pavilion.
The new seawall will be in the same stepped style as the first phase of works in front of the surf club.
The design features tiered concrete bleachers with stairways linking the promenade to the beach, with an accessible beach ramp and lower terraced area adjacent to the Bathers Pavilion.
Once complete, the seawall will also help protect the coastline for years to come, according to Wollongong Lord Mayor Tania Brown.
“We all know just how popular the new steps and seawall at the northern end of North Beach have been,’’ Councillor Brown said.
“They’ve been really well received by the community and we’re heading to the third summer where we’ve had this improvement in place.
“We’re planning now for the second and final stage of this work in this popular heritage precinct.
“It’s about far more than aesthetics. A lot of research and science has gone into the development of this seawall so it can provide protection for the beach and foreshore against rough seas, storms and the long-term effects of climate change.’’
Builder The Civil Experts Pty Ltd (TCE) will be on site in late February after being awarded the contract for the project in late December following a direct negotiation process.
As part of the seawall construction project, Wollongong City Council will also carry out essential maintenance to the kiosk and pavilion buildings, including external repairs and drainage improvements.
The pavilion works will not require any closures and can be managed with modified access arrangements, however, the café and kiosk will be closed for the duration of the seawall project – so no Diggies coffees for a while.
“During the project, we’re focused on supporting people to still be able to visit and enjoy this popular space, North Wollongong Beach and the Continental Pool,’’ Cr Brown said.
“Our lifeguards will remain on duty year-round at North Wollongong, and people will still be able to enjoy a walk along the Blue Mile – they’ll just need to mind the construction that’s underway to ensure we can all enjoy this gem for many years to come.’’
The works to the heritage buildings are jointly funded by the NSW Government and Wollongong City Council.
