Bowls clubs lobby for support
The sale of the Terrace End Bowling Club in Palmerston North could help cover the costs of building a new covered bowls facility in the city.
The Northern, Terrace End and Takaro clubs are lobbying for a covered artificial turf to be built at the Northern club on North St for all the clubs to use. The facility would be the first of its kind in the region.
A steering group for the clubs last year prepared a prefeasibility report, which cost $12,000, about a partnership between the clubs, and the Palmerston North City Council considered a $50,000 payment to work with consultants to investigate.
Since then, Terrace End has terminated the lease on its Sumerhays St premises and is sharing the Northern club, but members are still bowling under a Terrace End banner.
Takaro’s Philip Meads said the savings from this were $60,000 a year, which will be used for future infrastructure projects at Northern.
Meads said the unused Terrace End site was worth about $2 million.
The sale would help cover building costs of the new facility. A covered green could be used in all weather and by other community groups.
‘‘The demolition and redevelopment of the site, along with the erection of a new covered artificial green at North St, could generate significantly more than this in economic activity at no cost to the council – in fact the opposite, a fiscal gain for council.’’
The clubs asked at Wednesday’s city council meeting for it to continue its support with the $50,000 needed to complete the feasibility study in the Long-term Plan.
Councillors voted unanimously in support.
Meads said the request for the $50,000 was a one off and they had never asked for money from the council in the past.
He said the feasibility assessment would determine the best location for a covered artificial turf, which could be used as a regional facility.
Bill Anderson of Northern said since the two clubs had joined together at Northern the greens had seen a lot of use.
Meads believed other community members would also use the facilities.
Northern and Terrace End are also working with secondary schools to promote the sport and grow player numbers.