Progress on the Co-op's Renovations
by Ruth Parnell

At the AGM, director Marc Kalifa reported that a builder has been secured for the Maple Street Co-op site redevelopment: Ed Lawley, who has a long association with Maple Street Co-op. He said the Co-op is still dealing with Caloundra City Council regarding securing access to the driveway beyond our own that connects to Graatz Restaurant.

The Co-op has the finances to fund the renovations, he said, and it's expected that these should start after the summer wet season is over and as soon as several matters are tidied up with the Council.

The proposed extensions to Maple Street Co-op will increase our space, including retail, packing, office, cold room and Consultation Room areas, from 150 to 230 square metres – a huge difference which will allow us to expand into other areas, Marc noted.

He acknowledged that the process has been "a bit frustrating" because of the time it's taken. And now there's the added task of dealing with the merger of the two co-ops.

Member Rid Kennedy asked whether the merger, if approved, would affect the design and whether the Co-op's plans would happen regardless. Marc explained that, even though there are plans to make changes to the Club's premises, the two sets of plans are separate.

Regarding the Co-op, he said: "We should have had the extension years ago; it's really needed for the expansion of our business, and we can't possibly postpone it for several years."

Manager Alan Harrington added that a firewall has to be installed between the two co-ops and the configuration of the roof will have to be changed as a result of the merger. Regarding driveway access next door, all the interested parties have given their okay and the application is now with Council. Its Property Manager has given "in principle" agreement, but Council's engineers need to consider turning room and egress before final approval is given. This plan will save the Co-op around $40,000 per year, Alan said, as we won't have to provide our own sealed road from Maple Street through to Bicentennial Lane. Important safety issues aside, it will enable us to use the current driveway for other purposes.

Marc reiterated that we can't wait another two years for the renovations, and he forewarned that the Co-op will be a little disrupted for a time while the extensions are in progress.

[From "Maple Street Co-op News", December 2005/January 2006; published by The Maple Street Co-operative Society Ltd, 37 Maple Street, Maleny, Qld 4552, Australia, tel (07) 5494 2088, email maplest.co-op@serv.net.au, website http://www.maplestreetco-op.com.au]