‘Waterfront transformation’…’Lifestyle destination’…’Emphasis on sport, health & fitness’… Not the phrases one would usually associate with the redevelopment of a leagues club. Yet those are exactly the terms used to describe the changes afoot in The Shire, with the redevelopment of the Cronulla Sutherland Leagues Club’s land holdings set to raise the bar for the industry.

Clubs have been going through a renaissance of sorts lately, with diversification into retail, entertainment, residential and retirement offerings going hand-in-hand with ever-increasing community involvement and non-professional sporting contributions. With the first ever National Club Census launched in September last year finding registered clubs make an annual economic and social contribution of almost $10 billion to the Australian Community, it’s no surprise the industry is “involved in the everyday lives*” of so many Australians.

With the creation of an estimated 1,500 ongoing full-time jobs predicted and public domain works to include foreshore boardwalks, cycle paths, playgrounds and green spaces, the 10-hectare Cronulla Sharks development is set to transform the region both economically and socially. Named Woolooware Bay, the $300 million project will include the redevelopment of Sharkies (the Cronulla Sutherland Leagues Club), as well as the creation of a dining and entertainment precinct, residential apartments, a shopping centre and a comprehensive medical centre including sports health and therapies.

The project is a real collaboration, with development partners Bluestone and the Cronulla Sutherland Leagues Club sharing a vision to bring Woolooware Bay to life. Working closely with the design team of Scott Carver architects (for the Masterplan, Club redevelopment and retail premises) and Turner & Associates (for the residential buildings), Haron Robson has been involved with the project from the outset and is looking forward to being on-site when the construction phase commences, hopefully by the end of this year.

* Clubs Australia Chairman Peter Newell OAM, on release of the landmark study of more than 6,500 registered clubs