RSA considering options on joining another club

The South Canterbury RSA may not be homeless for long after closing its Timaru premises on Friday night.

Club president Greg Adams confirmed they had three offers from other clubs to become a subsection

The association has struggled with a lack of new members and financial issues, culminating in a decision last April to sell their premises on Wai-iti Rd.

A final decision on the future of club’s entity is still to be reached but Adams confirmed there were offers from the Timaru’s Town and Country Club (TT&CC), Celtic Rugby Football Club, and a bowling club for the association to become a subsection.

‘‘They [members] will still be a member of the RSA but they would also be a member of the club they decide to run with, so that keeps it pretty simple.’’

The TT&CC confirmed their offer in an email to members on Thursday night that said ‘‘at a recent executive committee meeting the executive voted in favour of offering the RSA the ability to become a section of the TT&CC’’.

‘‘The executive committee of the RSA tonight [Thursday] put that offer to their members to be considered alongside other possible options, the motion was greeted well and another meeting of the members will be held soon to decide,’’ the TT&CC said.

Adams said the closing celebration on Friday night, which he spent behind the bar and helping in the kitchen, was ‘‘really good’’ with ‘‘all hands on deck’’.

‘‘We had a wee band going and it was a bit teary.’’

Adams also revealed the club has more than $1 million in its coffers for returned service members.

He said the association had ‘‘quite a lot to sort out’’ after its last day of trading,

As well as the merger, they had to decide what to take or leave from the Wai-iti Rd site, and what to do with the $1.2-1.3 million left over from its sale.

Discussions began between the executive and a working group at an extraordinary general meeting on Thursday night.

‘‘They were all positive talks and it was all good but the business should have been chucked in years ago.

‘‘But we’ve ended with money in our pocket.’’

Adams said that would be locked away and only be used for returning services.

The association raised $1.7-1.8 million when it sold the building to Yedo Investments, owned by former Timaru District mayor Damon Odey and his father, Robert, who rent it back for a peppercorn rate of 10 cents a month.

Money borrowed to keep the business open had been repaid following the sale, with the remainder earmarked for charity.

Another meeting for the association’s executive and working group was set for Monday, after which a third would be scheduled for all members.

‘‘We will just be presenting the information to members so they can vote,’’ Adams said.