Mum fights to save Suttons Beach Pavilion from demolition

A mother with a lifetime of fond memories at Suttons Beach Pavilion has started an online petition in a bid to stop Council from demolishing the building.

Jodie Starr, from Deception Bay, says she feels something has to be done to “stop another iconic building being lost forever”.

“We are losing so many historic buildings from Redcliffe, and I feel Suttons Beach Pavilion is quite special and one of the last original buildings left,” Jodie says.

“I have to do something to at least try and stop the demolition because this building is loved by so many people in the community.

“I know there are a lot of issues with the building, but what I want to know is why did Council continue to let it deteriorate over this long period of time and not do something about it earlier.

“What I would like the Council to do is at least do a community consultation before any of these decisions are made and the building is lost forever.”

Presently, the petition on change.org has more than 9,200 signatures.

A shock for the community 

Moreton Bay Regional Council announced on Monday it had made the “difficult decision” to close and demolish Suttons Beach Pavilion for safety reasons after "extensive building defects" were discovered, leaving the community shocked. 

Council CEO Greg Chemello says the plan would be to "reinvigorate the area, returning to the community a space that can be used for a variety of purposes".

"The decision to proceed with demolition has not been taken lightly," Mr Chemello says.

"Council commissioned independent consultants to undertake inspections. These found extensive building defects, design and construction legacies, deteriorating buildings with concrete elements to the Suttons Beach Pavilion nearing the end of their life leading to major safety concerns of the buildings.”

Moreton Daily News has asked Council to see a copy of the engineer’s report.

Jodie says if the findings do show the pavilion is unsafe to use, she would “be sad but understand”.

“I understand there are a lot of issues with it. If it needs to be demolished for safety reasons that’s fair enough,” Jodie says.

“But I think it’s only fair we know the true condition of this building before anything is done.

“We should at least try and save it or preserve it.”

Jodie has reached out to councillors in a bid to have her pleas heard.

“I sent an email to them voicing my concerns, informing them of all the buildings we have lost, and asked if they would meet me and have a chat,” Jodie says.

Lots of family memories 

Suttons Beach Pavilion has been a favourite family destination for Jodie and her family for decades.

“This building means a lot to me. I grew up in Redcliffe and went to Clontarf Beach State High School, and as a child my parents would take me there all the time,” Jodie says.

“When I was a teenager, my best friend and I would go and sit there on the roof and eat fish and chips before it became an actual fish and chips place.

“It was somewhere we held special celebrations, like my grandmother’s 80th birthday and Father’s Day lunch.

“It’s also somewhere I take my kids to often. We head down there almost every month. In the last month before I even knew it was going to be demolished, I was there three times.

“If it does sadly end up getting demolished, it shouldn’t be a green space. There should at least be a replica so we don’t forget what we have lost.”

Suttons Beach Pavilion will close at the end of February.