One of Adelaide’s oldest sporting institutions, Grange Bowling Club, will close after members voted against a $5.7m council rescue offer and instead backed a merger and asset sale, ending more than 120 years of history.
At a general meeting last month, members voted to sell the Wilson Ct site and amalgamate with Lockleys Bowling Club, a decision that followed what president Lester Mackenzie described as “intense lobbying” within the club.
The outcome came after the club rejected a $5.7m offer from Charles Sturt Council that would have seen the site redeveloped into a community bowls facility under a $1 peppercorn lease.
President Lester Mackenzie said the decision left him “shocked and disappointed”, warning it had “damaged us irreparably” and likely meant the site would be sold for residential development.
He said the club’s premises, which had been valued between $9.5m and $11.2m, also supported several community groups that would now need to find alternative venues.
The vote to proceed with a sale and merger passed narrowly, with more than 50 members supporting amalgamation with Lockleys and 46 backing the council proposal. However, the merger remains uncertain, with both clubs still required to hold formal votes to dissolve and finalise arrangements.
Lockleys Bowling Club president Sam Katsivas confirmed discussions had resumed after being re-approached by Grange in April. He said the Grange board had proposed selling its land and transferring funds into a merged club.
“(They told us) they would put to their members that they would sell their land and bring the money over to a new merged club,” Katsivas said.
He added Lockleys had agreed in principle, but no binding agreement had been reached.
A previously proposed $8m contribution toward a joint redevelopment had collapsed last year, and an earlier attempt to merge Grange, Lockleys and West Lakes Bowling Club also failed after West Lakes voted against amalgamation.
Lockleys has since secured significant redevelopment funding, including a $7m grant from West Torrens Council and $2.5m from the state government.
Grange is now seeking Bowls SA assistance to appoint an administrator to oversee the club’s sale and closure, with a further member vote required on how proceeds will be distributed.
Source: The Advertiser.
