Well, it was the busy day at Torrensville Bowling Club yesterday. Camera crews and reporters from three television stations, Channels 2, 7 and 9, were in attendance to quiz our local member, the Hon. Tom Koutsantonis and our President Brenton Rolton regarding the move of our club due to the South Road upgrade.
Mr Koutsantonis announced that a new facility with an undercover 12 rink green as well as another 12 rink green will be built at a site on the southern bank of the River Torrens at Thebarton.
The Advertiser newspaper covered the event as follows;
One of Adelaide’s oldest lawn bowls clubs has been gifted a new $9.6 million centre because its old home will be bulldozed for South Rd works.
The historic Torrensville Bowling Club will be fully relocated from its current 1950s premises as part of the River Torrens to Darlington Project.
The club – including its state-of-the-art 12-rink covered bowling green – will by early 2025 move from its current premises on South Road to a nearby and completely redeveloped site, on the southern bank of the River Torrens at Thebarton.
The facility, established at a total cost of $9.6 million, will be part of the Thebarton Community Hub, announced by the former government in 2022 at a cost of $125 million.
Infrastructure and Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis made the funding announcement yesterday, the club also being in his electorate of West Torrens.
Mr Koutsantonis on Sunday praised the government’s efforts
“The Torrensville Bowling Club has a rich history stretching back more than a century and is much more than just a sporting venue for the club’s 200-plus members – it is an important social and community hub,’’ he said.
Torrensville Bowling Club president Brenton Rolton also praised the funding.
“This is a great result for our members – it’s the outcome we’ve been asking, waiting and hoping for since this project was first outlined,’’ he said.
“As one of Adelaide’s oldest lawn bowls clubs, it’s important to us and the community to retain our independence and heritage.
“We’re definitely looking forward to moving into a purpose-built new home that will retain the best elements of our current base – it’s a terrific outcome.”
The new club will feature new clubrooms, carparking, synthetic greens and a reassembled canopy — that was completed in 2019 – seen by members as an important feature of their current set up.
The new site is next to linear park at the former Tech in SA site, bounded by the River Torrens, Dennis Mutton Drive and Murray Street.
Tenders for a building contractor for the bowls club will be called in the second half of 2023.
