Struggling Brisbane bowls club may close in June

A struggling bowls club which has been eyed off by developers for years could soon be wound up despite a vote just before Christmas that saved it from closure.

Yeronga Bowls Club social member Resident Nick Read says it makes no sense to stop service on Fridays and Sundays. Picture: Renae Droop

YERONGA Bowls Club has narrowly avoided being wound up but a new vote to close it will be held at its annual general meeting in June.

It is the latest in a series of woes to plague the century-old, heritage-listed club.

An extraordinary general meeting was held just before Christmas to determine if members wanted to voluntarily wind up YBC.

Two-thirds of members voted to wind up, less than the 75 per cent majority required.

But the management committee said the issue would be discussed again at the June AGM.

In the meantime it has decided to significantly cut trading hours to stem losses.

Management tried to sell part of the site to Lennium Group for a five-storey unit project, but that bid was defeated in 2015.

The project was scaled back to three storeys but that also was rejected by the Planning & Environment Court, in April last year, after the judge cited concerns about destruction of a heritage-listed green dating to 1912.

Then, last October, locals watched on in horror as workers ripped up gutters around the 106-year-old MacGregor Green, destroyed a fountain dating to 1942 and trashed the grass.

Destruction caused by earthworks at the heritage-listed green last year.

“Whilst noting that the vote to wind up the club failed, the MC (management committee) noted that it appeared most members supported the closure of the club,’’ the committee said in a letter to members.

“In recognition of this, and the continued trading losses being made by the operation of the bar and facilities, the MC resolved to significantly reduce the club’s trading hours to try and limit the losses.

“Effective from February 2, the bar will only be staffed by volunteers two days a week, Wednesdays and Saturdays, from 12pm to 6pm, subject to having available volunteers.

“The MC believes that in light of the support for the winding up of the club, the matter should continue to feature as an agenda item and will ensure that this topic is discussed again at the upcoming annual general meeting, scheduled for early June.’’

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Resident Nick Read, who has spearheaded community opposition to the Lennium development plans, said it made no sense to stop trading on Fridays and Sundays as they were the most profitable days for the club.

A design image of the scaled-back Lennium development which was rejected by a planning court.

“Most of us who use the place see this as vexatious (of the MC, because it lost the wind-up motion),’’ Mr Read said.

“It’s only open now on Wednesdays and Saturdays, when bowlers are there.’’

Mr Read said also said that after the MacGregor Green was ripped up rains had washed sediment on to neighbouring properties, exacerbating damage.

“They have done some minor remediation to stop that but have put up five power poles on the five lots that they were going to develop.

“At the moment it has half metre high weeds. It’s a bloody mess.’’

Councillor Nicole Johnston (Tennyson), who has fought alongside residents trying to save the club, said she was deeply disappointed at the news.

Cr Johnston has previously denounced Council, which opposed the two development proposals, for granting a Heritage Exemption Certificate to Lennium without public consultation or notifying her office.

The first she was aware of the gutters being ripped up and heavy machinery and water tanks being dumped on the MacGregor Green was when residents contacted her.