New synthetic green to boost City Oval Bowling Club

A big summer of bowls awaits at City Oval Bowling Club after the completion of a new synthetic green.

The new green was officially opened on Monday, with City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Des Hudson joining club members to send down some of the first bowls on the new surface.

The synthetic surface replaces the former grassed green and was completed at the club's request.

There are now two grassed greens and one synthetic green, providing different options for use, but also making life easier for the volunteer-led club.

Natural surface bowls greens require ongoing and constant maintenance, water and specialist expertise to maintain and at considerable cost, placing financial and resource pressure on the clubs.

Cr Hudson said he was proud to unveil the new $638,000 upgrade, which was fully funded by the City of Ballarat.

“This new green allows for greater usage in all weather conditions and will result in greater participation numbers at the club,” he said.

“We know how incredibly hard volunteers work at community sporting clubs and that maintaining grass greens can be an extra burden, so to take some of that strain off the club is fantastic.”

City Oval Bowling Club Chairman Leigh McKenzie said that securing a new synthetic green provided the club members and other bowlers the ability to practice and play outdoors all year.

The green will retain the name of the club’s past long-serving life member Trevor Bennett.

“The new green is a reflection of our club's determination to be patient, and our willingness to build a relationship that secures a long-term future for the club and our members,” Mr McKenzie said.

“The club is 100 years young and having two different playing surfaces will encourage and hopefully attract new bowlers to the club. City Oval Bowling Club is striving to be a 'destination bowling club' with a focus to be successful both on and off the greens.”

The City of Ballarat is currently in the final stages of preparing its Recreation Infrastructure Plan for Council consideration, which outlines a 15-year plan to ensure the municipality’s recreation infrastructure keeps up with forecasted population growth.

The plan, which is currently in draft and will be presented at the August Council Meeting, includes a range of other bowls upgrades planned for future years, with a new synthetic green at Buninyong Bowls Club the next item on the agenda.

In another promising move for bowls, the countdown is on for the Bowls Victoria 2024 Regions Sides Championships, which Ballarat will host in January 2025.

That event is forecast to contribute more than $215,000 to the Ballarat economy and attract a substantial number of visitors to the city during the January school holiday period.