Abstract:
Communities are defined by places and certain qualities-those that make it unique, well-liked, and even treasured. The town of Lennox Head, located in New South Wales, Australia, is distinguished by a local icon, its Surf Life Saving Club.
The Club is a place where people swim in the waves, meet a friend for coffee, bask in the sun, or watch the waters as volunteer surf lifesavers. This study will look at how a man-made environment contributes to the formation and sustaining of community pride, or the sense of joy and dignity among the body of individuals. The question looks at the community, both residents and visitors, in the context of the Surf Life Saving Club. To carry out the study, data was collected through methods of historical research and observation, and a theory of placemaking is presented and analyzed. The beginnings of Lennox Head is introduced, followed by the exploration of the multiple facets of the Surf Life Saving Club including activities, observations, community culture, formation, origins, and beginnings of the building, and an examination of is coexistence. Other factors of influence on the Club include water as a source of destruction, the National Surfing Reserve, and the nearby Lake Ainsworth and its value to the community. All of these findings that support the existence of the Surf Club are compared with four qualities that contribute to placemaking.
