Wonthella Bowling Club unveils new bowling green
A fast green that never goes brown.
Isn’t that the dream of every bowling club committee?
To mark the start of pennants, the Wonthella Bowling Club opened a new synthetic green last Friday that appears to tick all the boxes.
Club president Kevin Exten said it was the first artificial turf bowling green in Geraldton.
“The old folks don’t like change,” he said. “This is change — you can play on this one 27/7 and it doesn’t need any chemicals.”
Mr Exten said the project will benefit the club for many years to come.
“The installation of this synthetic green will complement our existing three front greens while placing us in a very strong and sustainable position going forward,” he said.
“It also provides us with a competitive edge and presents us with the opportunity to position our club well into the coming 15 to 20 years.”
The $200,000 project was jointly funded by the WA Government, the City of Greater Geraldton and the Wonthella Bowling Club which each funded a third of the upgrade.
City of Greater Geraldton Mayor Shane Van Styn said the new green would help the club save money while raising its sporting profile.
“The synthetic playing surface reduces the costs associated with turf maintenance and irrigation enabling the club to become more environmentally sustainable,” he said.
“The high-quality surface could also make the club eligible for State and national competitions which would have a positive economic impact on our community through sports-based tourism.”
Sport and Recreation Minister Mick Murray said his Government had allocated 80 per cent of this round of Community Sporting and Recreation Facilities Fund grants to organisations in country areas.
“We are committed to providing strong support to grassroots clubs, wherever they are in WA,” he said.
“Local sport and recreation facilities are so important for keeping communities healthy, active and connected, and we are making sure regional WA gets its fair share.”
Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.
Sign up for our emails