Coorparoo RSL reveals plans to take over Greenslopes Bowls Club site

A Brisbane RSL is close to securing a new home after revealing plans to take over the lease at a run down, closed bowls club. In great news for locals, the RSL has vowed to reopen two greens and bring back live music and a restaurant.

Coorparoo RSL and Community Club has been chosen as the preferred lease holder for the former site of the Greenslopes Bowls Club.

A Brisbane RSL is close to securing a new home after revealing plans to take over the lease at a closed southside bowls club, with plans to invest more than $3 million to revamp the derelict site.

Coorparoo RSL and Community Club president Mervyn Cuylenburg unveiled the plans to move into the former Greenslopes Bowls Club site in a letter to members last week.

The move comes after the Coorparoo RSL site was sold to Bolton Clarke for $10.279 million in 2021, with the building making way for a 16-storey residential and aged care development.

“The club tendered to take over the former Greenslopes Bowls Club site. We were recently informed by (Brisbane City) Council that we were chosen as the preferred tenderer,” Mr Cuylenburg said in the letter.

Coorparoo RSL president Merv Cuylenburg. Picture: AAP/Sarah Marshall

“We now need to enter into lease negotiations with Council, but this gives us – and the Greenslopes community – a clear pathway for the future of both clubs.”

Coorparoo RSL, which has been at its current home at 20 Harries Rd for more than 60 years, will look to revamp the site, also known as Club Greenslopes at 131 Ridge St, which has been officially closed for almost a year.

“Once we finalise the lease in coming months, we plan to invest in a $3.5 million renovation and refit, with the aim of moving all of the club’s operations there once this has been completed,” Mr Cuylenburg said in the letter.

“The board is very happy with this outcome, as it gives us a greater degree of certainty about the future of our operations.

“We think it will also be a great outcome for the Greenslopes community, where the closure of the previous club has left a large hole in the social fabric.

The site of the Greenslopes Bowls Club.

“Our priority will be to retain the strong sense of community that existed at the previous Greenslopes club.

“So we’ll be reopening the restaurant and returning the live music and entertainment that locals grew to love. We are also going to rejuvenate the two bowling greens.

“At this stage, we are proposing that one will be retained as a green for social bowls and the other will become a green space for families and the community to use.

“We think this will be a great addition to our existing service offering and a wonderful asset to the community.”

Mr Cuylenburg said the move would allow the Sub-Branch to continue the important work of supporting returned service personnel.

It would also help them support local sporting clubs, schools and other organisations, which they had been doing for decades.

He said the proposed move received “overwhelming” backing from members at a vote last year.

The club needed to act now because development at their present home was scheduled to start in 2025.

“The sale of the existing site has left the club in a very strong financial position and this new arrangement will help us to consolidate that position in the years ahead,” Mr Cuylenburg said.

“This is the beginning of a very exciting journey for our club.”

Brisbane City Council’s decision to choose Coorparoo RSL as the preferred lease holder also allayed concerns from Greenslopes residents about the bowls club site being sold to developers.