Bowling Club final gesture: aid youth
Youth sport clubs to split the left-over money
The Levin Women’s Bowling, which disbanded last year, is about to distribute its remaining finances to two other local clubs. Attempts to find a taker for its building have so far been unsuccessful, said the club’s last president, Carrell Knight.
“We own the timber building and we had offered the building to the community as we could see no way of removing it but the response has been pretty negative.”
Horowhenua District Council advised the club last September that an earthquake assessment of the building had indicated it was below 34 per cent of the required safety standard.
“The engineers report indicated the main failing of the building appears to be the concrete block wall erected in 1956, which was not anchored to the adjacent wall.
“Otherwise a small amount of rot in one of the foundation areas where a garden was put too close was the only other issue.”
The council told the club it would see how much it would cost to upgrade and that is the last members heard.
That was last November. HDC has the keys, and asked the club not to disconnect the building’s power.
“In September, when the club stopped functioning, the gardens and lawns were all nice and tidy, and we handed the management to the council who owns the land.”
The club has now decided to walk away.
In accordance with its constitution it will distribute any money left in its bank account and during its last general meeting decided to divide it equally between Horowhenua Junior
Softball and Kapiti/Horowhenua Junior Cricket, who each will receive $4400 in the next week or so.
The council said it has yet to consider what it does with the building and green in the medium to longterm.
“In the short-term the building has been assessed as earthquake prone and the fence to the bowling green has been removed to encourage access for families as a picnic lawn,” said Arthur Nelson, property and parks manager.