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MEDIA RELEASE - 26/11/2001
- WE SHOULD KEEP THIRROUL BOWLING CLUB ALIVE - BUT AT ANY PRICE??
Councillor Kerrie Christian, long time 6th generation Thirroul resident and Ward 1 Wollongong City Councillor, has supported moves to keep Thirroul Bowling Club alive, but has questioned whether this should be at any price?
"Thirroul lost the RSL Club in the 1980's and despite a succession of land sell offs for residential developments, the Leagues Club was ultimately also forced to close," commented Cr Christian, "now we see the Bowling Club in a similar situation as the Leagues Club, trying to redevelop land in order to survive."
Cr Christian confirmed that she had been supportive of rezoning/redevelopment of some of the Bowling Club site for residential development, but it was a question of scale and density being much greater than the usual for 2B medium density sites. Currently the site is zoned 6B private open space, and not residential.
"I welcome moves to pull back the development to 3 storeys from the original 4.5 storeys," explained Cr Christian, "but the floor space ratio of 75% means that the site will be covered by 40% more bricks and mortar, with the open space component nearly halved, compared with the usual 55% floor space ratio in this area."
Cr Christian believes that it is inevitable that other developers with smaller blocks in the area will now also be putting up their hands to push density levels higher. Do we want to see 40% more bricks and mortar, with open space/landscaping halved in the medium density developments in the future.
"Currently there is a beachside corner block zoned 2B on the market for $760,000 in Thirroul and you would have to expect that the purchaser would be pushing for higher density to get a better return when it comes time to redevelop," stated Cr Christian "especially with beachfront parkland across the road."
There have been claims that a scarcity of suitably zoned medium density land in Thirroul is affecting availability and affordability of residential properties in the area. This however is contradicted by the fact that nearly all land east of the railway line in the town has been zoned 2B medium density for at least 20 years. Redevelopment has occurred continually throughout this area since the early 1980's, especially in the beachside areas, as well as around George St and Redman Avenue. However, this has not necessarily led to medium density developments being more affordable. Generally they have overlapped the same price range as single residences since the mid-1980's. Currently many houses for sale in Thirroul are in the range $300,000-$500,000, with medium density in the $300,000-$400,000 range. Pressure on prices has been driven by the Sydney market, albeit initially in the single residence market, and now also in medium density arena, including the latest Palmyra development on the old Leagues Club site, which has seen some Sydney purchasers and prices reaching $385,000.
"I don't expect that this development will lead to more affordable properties in the town," observed Cr Christian, "they will probably fetch somewhere near the Palmyra development where prices are in the range of $315,000 to $385,000 - you have to go to Woonona and south to get medium development in the range $200,000 to $250,000."
Cr Christian indicated that many smaller clubs have been experiencing difficulties and that there was a need to re-invent themselves. It is understood that there is a virtual roll call of Illawarra clubs that have been forced to restructure or close. Port Kembla Bowling Club was unable to keep going despite a lifeline from Western Suburbs Leagues in the early 1990's. Bulli Bowling Club has been helped out by Woonona Bulli RSL in recent years, Thirroul and Austinmer RSL have closed, Northern Suburbs Leagues, Thirroul Leagues and Wollongong Leagues have also closed. Helensburgh Bowling Club sold off some of its land for medium density development 5 years ago to keep the wolves from the door, but is now again seeking help, this time from Engadine Clubs, whilst Austinmer Bowling Club currently has a proposal with council for a modest residential development.
These Illawarra clubs join clubs from across NSW, right around Australia and even in New Zealand, who have found that times have changed. Newspaper articles back in April 1999 reported that there was a financial crisis gripping small clubs in NSW (M Skelsey - Telegraph 30/4/1999 page 28) as they battled falling membership and increased gambling competition now that pubs have gaming machines. More recent reports suggested that the NSW situation has not changed, with more clubs closing or struggling (M Skelsey - Telegraph 7/11/2001 page 20). These include clubs in Northbridge, Hurstville, Rockdale, & Penshurst within the Sydney area, and with Cardiff Workers& Redhead Bowling Club closing in the Hunter, as well as the Belmont Sportmans Club taking over the Belmont Bowling Club.
"It is vital that clubs such as Bowling Clubs reinvent themselves if they are to compete and survive," argued Cr Christian, "and it is not simply a matter of new buildings being the magic bullet solution, they have to generate wider appeal in what they offer to their members and visitors."
Cr Christian pointed to the success of the Thirroul Beaches Hotel in its redevelopment and repositioning compared with its past life. She also suggested that models adopted by Woonona Bulli RSL, Bulli Bowling Club and Western Suburbs Leagues who have a very active role in supporting a range of both youth and adult sporting/surf clubs in their feeder areas was something to be looked at. She also observed that Bowls had strong merit in being a key sport for the older generation rather than other more active sports, and also acknowledged that clubs had finally, albeit belatedly made an effort to attract younger people to participate.
"I would propose that council investigate getting together with our local clubs to have the NSW Registered Clubs Association come down here and run the newly launched Club Directors Institute Program to help our clubs redefine themselves," commented Cr Christian, "after all clubs employ more than 65,000 people in NSW, with 2.5 million people are members in this state and statistics showing that 80% of NSW's population go to clubs each year."
"We should try to keep the Thirroul Bowling Club afloat, but not at any price," insisted Cr Christian.
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