Centennial celebrations to be a highlight for bowling club

STIRRING THE MEMORIES: Poverty Bay Bowling Club celebrates its centenary this year. With the club honours board in the background, organising committee members Lex Kennedy (left) and Val McGreevy look through club photo albums with president Jon Davies. The albums and club memorabilia will help stir the memories of those attending the centennial celebrations. Picture by Paul Rickard

A centenary comes only once in a club's lifetime, so organisers of Poverty Bay Bowling Club's 100th birthday celebration want to make the most of it.

“We're looking at doing something over two weekends in a row,” one of the organisers, Lex Kennedy, said.

“We could have a social programme for one weekend and an open day for the next. People would be invited to come to the club and have a go at the game.”

Poverty Bay Bowling Club has been on the corner of Hall Street and Ormond Road ever since its formation in 1920, although it used to cover much more ground. An area of land stretching east along Ormond Road was sold for housing and, further back in the club's history, land backing on to the Railway Reserve was sold.

The timing of the celebrations has not been decided yet. The club's opening day is August 29, and some members think the centenary celebration would be a good way to start the season.

An estimate of the number of people likely to attend would help in the planning of the event, so people interested in going are asked to contact Kennedy to register their interest and/or seek more information. He can be contacted at .

“If people email me I can take their details and follow up from there,” he said.

“We have a lot of photos and memorabilia at the club, and they will bring back memories for past and present members.”