By Alistair Gray
Simply awesome! The new covered bowling greens look magnificent and will play a significant part in the Bribie bowling community for many years. There was much excitement with the recent opening of the new greens, with about 130 bowlers participating in the opening ceremony. Each bowler stood around the greens holding part of the ribbon and at the stated moment, stepped onto their new greens with much applause and joy.
Lachlan Deakins, a long-time member of the club, won the honour of bowling the first ball. To add to the prestige of the occasion, Lachlan used wooden bowls donated by local Keith Vines. The bowls, which are displayed in the club along with other memorabilia, belonged to his father and were crafted in 1929, the same year the club first opened.
The new covered greens mean the bowlers can play rain or shine, day or night and offer players protection from exposure to the sun.
“While we do lose out on a lot of game time due to rain, it is the sun exposure that we are more concerned about, given that at the moment, many of our games start in the middle of the day when UV is at its strongest,” Bribie Island Bowls Club general manager Kevin Birtwistle said.
A significant change for the club will be the ability to offer evening bowls and the opportunity for younger players and those who work to participate in the sport.
“It’s not just a fabulous development for the club, but it will be fantastic for the local community as our bowls tournaments become a major drawcard on the playing calendar,” Kevin said.
This will benefit local restaurants and accommodation facilities as the club attracts bowlers from around Queensland and interstate.
Besides the two newly covered synthetic greens, the club will retain one natural grass green, with the rest of the back area turned into a car park. Work is also being completed on constructing a new alfresco dining and bar area. The outdoor barbecue area is being upgraded to provide a greater capacity for bowling events and community fundraising activities. The project's total cost is just under four million dollars, which has been proudly self-funded.
There has never been a better time to take up bowls, with the club offering free coaching to interested new players on Tuesdays and Thursdays. To find out more, please phone 07 3408 1010.
