‘Worst decision of the last council’: Fitzroy Victoria Bowling and Sports Club gets hefty lease reprieve

A changing of the guard at Yarra City Council — with the Greens party losing its stranglehold — has delivered a huge rent cut to a beloved Melbourne bowls club, helping to ensure its future.

The Fitzroy Victoria Bowling and Sports Club. Picture: Facebook

The new Yarra City Council has delivered a huge lease reduction to a popular bowls club in Fitzroy North – equating to a saving of $40,000 each year and helping to ensure the long-term future of the beloved venue.

The Fitzroy Victoria Bowling and Sports Club had been stung with a $60,000 increase in its annual lease by the former Yarra City Council in August last year – just before the October council, where the Greens lost three councillors and majority control of the council.

The bowls club had operated on a long term peppercorn lease of $100 a year but when it was up for renewal, Yarra Council officers charged the club $60,000 per year, in line with what it said commercial businesses would need to pay for the site.

The club will now pay $20,000 per year, after the newly elected councillors and Mayor Stephen Jolly voted to reduce the annual lease payments at Tuesday’s council meeting.

“The bowls club was treated really poorly (by the old council),” Cr Jolly said.

The club’s future looks much brighter, without the Greens in control of the local council. Picture: Facebook

“It was probably the worst decision of the last council – and that’s saying something.

“This decision will allow this club to continue doing its thing.

“To be able to right an injustice so early in the term, we are really proud of that.”

Club vice president Rodney Draper said the $20,000 annual price of the long-term lease was a reasonable amount to pay.

“We understand that we can no longer continue on a peppercorn lease but we should never have been compared to commercial businesses,” he said.

“It’s expensive to run a bowls club and we want to make sure that we keep open to serve our local community.

“We have people hiring out (the club) who do socialisation groups for two-years-olds, we have high school groups coming in, we have a range of community groups booking out the space.

“Our club is very much a community club.”

New Yarra mayor Stephen Jolly outside Richmond Town Hall. Picture: Mark Stewart

Cr Jolly said the Fitzroy Victoria Bowling and Sports Club played an important role in the community.

“On any given day, if you go past (the club) there will be people young and old in there playing bowls and enjoying a drink with their friends and family,” Cr Jolly said.

“It’s a place that is very important to our community.”

Mr Draper acknowledged the support of Cr Jolly and thanked the councillors for reducing the annual lease payments.

Originally published as ‘Worst decision of the last council’: Fitzroy Victoria Bowling and Sports Club gets hefty lease reprieve