Rousing speech sways Dunedin bowls club to reverse sale plan
In May, members voted to sell, but at the recent annual meeting members of the club overturned the resolution.
Some said they felt they had been given insufficient information to make an informed vote at the May meeting.
On Tuesday, the bowling club executive ratified the decision not to sell and it was "now investigating avenues to go forward", club president Bruce Boothby said.
James Sutherland, executive chair of the Valley Project, told The Star: "We had seen that the bowling club was for sale and because we see it very much as a community asset, we want to retain that community ownership."
He attended the annual meeting and outlined ways his organisation could help the North East Valley Bowling Club remain viable.
"Bowling clubs have got to repurpose and become more community-focused.
"It is a huge opportunity to grow not only the club's membership base — currently about 40 — but also to consider what else the facilities can be used for."
Asked if he felt his presentation affected the vote at the annual meeting, Mr Sutherland said he did not think so.
However, Mr Boothby disagreed.
"Bloody oath it did," he said.
"It swayed the meeting and renewed members' faith in a viable future for a club that has had a presence in North East Valley for 121 years," he said.
Mr Boothby suggested the club, with its good storage facilities, would be ideal for the likes of garden clubs to use as a base, hold flower shows and stage other events.
In lieu of rent, he could see garden club members helping maintain the gardens that had won awards in the past.
"I'm an optimist," Mr Sutherland said.
"I can see the bowling club going for at least another 121 years."
The bowling club decision not to sell is a timely one for the Valley Project, which has been using the Baptist church and hall, bigger than their own North Rd rooms.
In May, the Baptist Churches of NZ put the church, hall and two adjacent houses on the market. Efforts by the Valley Project to raise the money to buy it were unsuccessful.
As of yesterday, none had sold but Harcourts real estate agents Jim Packer and Martin Whangapirita, who are handling the properties, said there was interest in them.
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