‘New’ Sports Club is open for business
AFTER more than $5 million in renovations, the Toowoomba Sports Club welcomed its members back yesterday.
Despite COVID lockdowns and renovation closures, the club on the corner of Ruthven and Russell Sts still made a tidy $100,000plus profit this year, the club’s AGM heard.
Club general manager Karen Evans told the meeting of the heartbreaking moment she had to tell her then 42 staff that the club had to close in line with COVID lockdown laws.
Fortunately, 29 of those staff were eligible for Jobkeeper payments.
In a display of the family atmosphere that exists among staff, some of those who received the payment helped those financially who did not qualify for the Jobkeeper benefit during the lockdown.
As of this week, staff have returned to the club as well as 14 extra workers.
Ms Evans said even though 2020 had been a difficult year for business, the club had still spent $5.9 million locally in obtaining supplies and equipment.
The five founding clubs, Brothers (All Whites), Valleys, Souths rugby league clubs, Toowoomba Basketball Association and Norths Hockey remained the major beneficiaries of the club which also supported a range of other local clubs and charities including a major sponsorship of Lifeline Darling Downs.
While the (Canberra) Raiders Group owned the building, the Sports Club paid rent and all profits remained in the local community, the meeting was told.
“In the last 10 years, we have allocated $1,235,500 to them (the founding clubs),” board chairman Greg McIntyre told the meeting.
“Since my time on the board, we have paid off all outstanding debts and undertaken the first lot of major renovations.
“Our strong financial position has enabled us to support our five founding clubs and the Toowoomba community,” Mr McIntyre told the meeting.