THE Bingara bowling greens will undergo an overhaul thanks to a grant from the Community Building Partnership program.
Member for Northern Tablelands Brendan Moylan visited the Bingara Sporting Club to deliver the $18,000 in funding which will see wheelchair access to the green improved, more seating and shade, and repairs to the green’s ditch head.
Mr Moylan said the bowling green plays host to competitive and social bowls, and the facilities will now ensure everyone can participate.
“The Bingara Sporting Club is a hub for the whole community and is home to bowls, golf and tennis,” Mr Moylan said.
“The sports facilities are maintained entirely by a dedicated group of volunteers who do a fantastic job in ensuring it remains a destination for the entire region.
“The funding from the Community Building Partnership program will make sure the club’s disabled and elderly members can access the green and there will be somewhere for both spectators and bowls participants to sit.
“It is great to see improvements being made to clubs, like the Bingara Sporting Club, which are the fabric of the community.”
Bingara Bowls Club secretary Don Mack was thankful for the funding and said it eases the financial pressure on the club in keeping the greens updated and maintained.
“Our bowling greens are regarded as the best greens in the northwest and proudly so,” he said.
“However, the upkeep over time is very expensive. This funding will cement the upkeep of urgent maintenance required to keep the reputation and standard of our greens all bowlers in our club and north west expect.”
Mr Mack said the Bingara Sporting Club’s 200 members are proud of the standard of the bowling greens and now even more people will be able to use them.
“We have always encouraged our juniors, bare foot bowlers and other social groups to use our facilities that will ultimately underpin the future of bowling in Bingara. We can now finish our shade restoration and upgrade our old heavy seating to a lighter and more user-friendly style seating,” he said.
“The funding not only benefits those involved directly within the Bingara community but also visiting clubs throughout the year involved in state competitions our club hosts, as well as travelling bowlers who have their bowls with them when travelling.
“It also means that we now cater for our disabled bowlers with our greens now accessible for their needs.
“We thank Brendan and the state government for securing this funding and believe we can spend it effectively and wisely.”
