LiteClub to the rescue
It’s been tough going for the Sandringham Bowling Club, but Project LiteClub is making sure it’s in with a sporting chance.
Over the last couple of years the club has had its computer and hot water cylinder stolen, a drop in membership and problems with the greens.
A move to amalgamate with Mt Albert Bowling Club means they are now the Mt Albert-Sandringham Bowling Club and have about 40 members.
‘‘It’s hard trying to get more membership as we are not close enough to schools to get the kids to play,’’ vice president Marion Roberts says.
‘‘We have got to try and save money because we haven’t got a large membership.’’
Enter Project LiteClub. Project LiteClub was founded in 2011 as an offshoot of Project LiteFoot, which signed up seven top Kiwi athletes and looked at how they could reduce their carbon footprint.
‘‘LiteClub looks to make changes to grassroots clubs and talk to them about how they can reduce their footprint and at the same time save them money,’’ planning adviser Dan Kelly says. ‘‘We make sure the clubs use CFL lighting, wrap old hot water cylinders and we install water saving devices for taps and single flush toilets.’’
The free service is funded by the Ministry of Environment, Auckland Council’s Waste Minimisation Fund and the Blue Waters Community Trust.
Since the project began LiteClub has visited 379 clubs in the North Island and is estimated to have saved almost $2 million for grassroots sports clubs.
‘‘It’s a good way to reach people who wouldn’t normally get the environmental message.’’
‘‘We have had resoundingly positive feedback everywhere we go and there are very few clubs where people don’t jump on board.’’
LiteClub’s goal is that by 2025 it will be able to transform New Zealand community sport infrastructure to be electricity independent, zero waste and water neutral.
After the initial changes LiteClub sends the club an Efficiency Action Plan – setting out further changes the club can make to improve their environmental per- formance while further reducing their running costs.
‘‘We stay in contact with the clubs, and we maintain a working relationship with the clubs so if they need us we can help out,’’ Kelly says.
The project’s tagline ‘save money on power, spend money on sport’ is something that appeals to the likes of the Mt Albert-Sandringham Bowling Club.
Roberts thinks the members will be pleased with the changes and is looking forward to seeing a reduction in running costs.