Bowls Whangarei is sporting a bold new face to deal with two perennial but possibly not linked problems - falling membership and graffiti.
The bowling club in Second Ave has had a large mural painted on its exterior wall, next to the pathway to Cafler Park.
While the wall has in the past attracted tagging and other graffiti, the main motive behind the mural was to present a younger face and changing future.
The scene, painted by tattoo artist Ernest Bradley, from Memory Lane, shows a girl and a young man playing bowls.
Bowls Whangarei president Laurel Jones said younger people are taking up the sport and one of the club's members is an intermediate school pupil.
"We would like to be see more, and our aim is also to have more twilight and business house social bowls and roll-ups.
"There is a blackboard within the mural to put club information on, with opening hours."
The mural was first mooted and then paid for by club member Wally Yovich.
Some time ago Mr Yovich saw a similar one in Australia where bowls is popular with younger people, especially social bowls.