ALL this rain dumped upon us and if you reflect on it, in a half-glass-full moment, the strangest conclusion is it can only improve the Gold Coast s global reputation. A report last month to council revealed the Coast had soared up the ranks of the world s most desired cities, jumping from 35th to 14th largely because the city offers a safe environment . Fingal beach during the storm event. Photograph: Jason O Brien. On the beaches the council deserves an A on its report card, doing all the heavy lifting. Across the past 10 years, council has spent $800,000 extending the Kirra Point groyne, almost $14 million on dumping three million cubic metres of sand on beaches, $1.63 million on the Narrowneck artificial reef and $9.5 million on the Surfers Paradise sand back pass project.