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ECB questions Bowling Club move by Louise Parry Eastbourne Community Board members have pushed back on claims that the relocation of the Eastbourne Bowling Club to Oroua Street is “inevitable.” Eastbourne Bowling Club secretary Hugh McKenzie presented to the Eastbourne Community Board last week, describing relocation as “not our preferred option but eventually inevitable,” citing financial pressures, ageing facilities, and maintenance challenges. The club’s membership fell to just 20–30 players in 2022, contributing to a $20,000 annual loss on top of deficits from previous years. “It became unsustainable and we had to act – both to protect bowls in Eastbourne and to try and turn around the financial losses,” McKenzie said. Since then, the club has rebounded through initiatives such as community bowls nights and partnerships with Naenae Bowling Club over winter. Membership has grown to 137, and finances are back in the black. “If we had continued losing $20,000 a year, funds would have run out last year,” McKenzie said. But while membership has recovered, the club is facing serious infrastructure challenges. More than half its members are over 70, and McKenzie described the club as “a vital source
of connection, purpose, and wellbeing.” Its large 400-square-metre clubhouse requires major maintenance, and the green itself may need to be relaid – a move that would force the club to close for a whole season, putting it at further financial risk. Founded in 1907, the club has been part of Eastbourne life for 118 years. “It deserves to stay,” McKenzie said, stressing the need to be proactive about its future. Since 2022, the club has been in talks with Hutt City Council about moving to a new site. An agreement in principle has now been reached to relocate to the tennis courts area, which also hosts basketball and skateboarding
facilities. Concept drawings show a new bowling green replacing two of the tennis courts, while retaining some tennis facilities, the skate ramp, and a half basketball court. A walkway alongside the croquet club would be redirected. Community Board members raised questions about the proposal’s impact on other recreational users. Board member Frank Vickers acknowledged sympathy for the club but warned of the consequences: “This land is public for public use. If the bowling club takes it over, that’s exclusive use for a small number of residents.” Continues on Page 2
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