Shake up for bowls venue
THE NEW EDGE HILL BOWLS CLUB BOSS IS UNDAUNTED BY THE TASK OF TURNING AROUND THE STRUGGLING CLUB, TAKING A MODERN APPROACH WHILE STAYING TRUE TO ITS GRASS ROOTS, WRITES PETER CARRUTHERS
THE new man at the helm of the Edge Hill Memorial Bowls Club is planning a revival at the inner suburban setting through a host of initiatives designed to attract a new generation of clientele.
Fresh to the position of club manager, Lawrence Green vacated his position as duty manager at Yorkeys Knob Boating Club to take up the appointment earlier this month.
Charged with turning the club around in the wake of a downturn, the born-and-bred Cairns manager is blowing out the cobwebs with a new strategy to bring the club into the 21st century. At the top of Mr Green’s priorities has been the cancelling of an outsourced contract to run the restaurant and hire club kitchen employees to cook a quality but affordable new menu.
“I am in the process of employing a new chef. It’s got to be good, simple, home-style cooked meals but definitely quality,” he said.
“The pricing will be in line with club prices. We are not a five-star restaurant but we offer good quality, consistent club meals.
“We are making the menu attractive to families.”
Not forgetting about the wants of children – or rather the parents needing to keep the kids happy, a new games room and activity centre could also be on the cards, Mr Green said.
“It used to be frequented by families but they have got older and older and we just have to reinvigorate it again,” he said.
“We are doing live music on a Friday night and goose club on a Friday night. We will have different activities on each night throughout the week and food specials on each night of the week.”
Raised in Cairns, Mr Green attended Smithfield High School before landing a manager’s position at a Cairns sporting club, a role he held for 10 years, and became well versed with sports club operations.
He then took up a role in Sydney for five years, before moving to Wollongong for another five years.
Then the call of the Far North became too loud to ignore.
With some prompting from his better half, the Edge Hillbased manager returned to his home town to raise a family.
“She came down to Sydney and didn’t like it, so we decided to move home, start a family and be near our families,” he said.
RAISED IN CAIRNS, LAWRENCE GREEN ATTENDED SMITHFIELD HIGH SCHOOL BEFORE LANDING A MANAGER’S POSITION AT A CAIRNS SPORTING CLUB, A ROLE HE HELD FOR 10 YEARS
Loving the relaxed Far North Queensland lifestyle, the father of two teenage boys said it was the same ethos he wanted to bring to a reinvigorated Edge Hill Memorial Bowls Club.
Established following World War II in 1953 and known as the “the friendliest bowls club in Cairns”, the beautiful clubhouse, nestled among leafy streets, is widely regarded as a hidden gem of the Far North.
A self-confessed “hands on” kind of bloke, Mr Green said that when not at work, he enjoyed spending time with his family, travelling and watching sport.
“And relaxing and enjoying what our fantastic area has to offer,” he added.
“I am motivated but lowkey in the background, getting things done.”
The entering of a new era by shaking off an outdated business model is not without difficulty, but Mr Green was confident the fresh vision could be realised.
“It is certainly an exciting time with the challenge ahead, revitalising the club and bringing it back to its former glory,” he said.
“It used to be the No.1 premier bowls club in North Queensland and that is what we want to bring it back to.
“It’s got a great clubhouse, the facilities are fantastic.
“We are just looking to do some updates around and it’s certainly an exciting time.
“It’s like anything these days, they are more than any one particular thing – it’s more of an entertainment venue and (the challenge is) to find more things to entertain people here.”
Long-term plans for the club include a roof over the green and attracting a more diverse range of clients to the club’s function facilities.
“We have got great function space here, available for anything from christenings to wakes and anything in-between,” he said.
IT IS CERTAINLY AN EXCITING TIME WITH THE CHALLENGE AHEAD, REVITALISING THE CLUB AND BRINGING IT BACK TO ITS FORMER GLORY LAWRENCE GREEN