Councillors across the borough are far from bowled over by the state of local bowling greens – with claims maintenance standards are still falling far off target!
And now an ‘options paper’ has been requested to explore what can be done and how it can be done much better.
The matter was raised by Alderman Gareth Wilson at the monthly meeting of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council.
He said a “number of concerns” had been raised by Markethill Outdoor Bowling Club, not just with himself but all of the Cusher councillors.
However, it emerged during the course of discussion that the issue was not just confined to Markethill, with Banbridge Bowling Club also seeing itself as the poor relation when it came to upkeep of the all-important greens.
It certainly is not a new problem.
More than four years ago, Armagh I reported how Markethill bowlers said they felt as if they were being treated like “second class citizens” due to the now annual state and dysfunction of their playing green.
Each summer over a number of years they said the condition of their playing green had become so bad it was an “embarrassment” as they attempted to host clubs from across Northern Ireland.
Speaking at the time, club member Andrew Robinson said: “We are proudly a cross community club with members from all sections of the community. Many members rely on this as a source of social interaction and supporting their mental health.
“Recently it is becoming much more difficult for some members to play and for us as a club to encourage new members to join, completely due to the horrendous state of the green.
“Unfortunately due to empty promises in previous years and no improvement in the condition of the green, we are calling on the Council to support us, now, as a club to help us progress.
“As a club we would like a formal acknowledgment of what major work can be done to benefit this and what support the council have to offer on this matter.”
An ABC Council spokesperson indicated to Armagh I then that the club’s concerns were on its radar and “officers are currently engaging with representatives from Markethill Bowling Club to resolve the matter”.
Now the issue has come to the council chamber, with Alderman Wilson asking that it be ‘minuted’.
He said he was raising it to “chart progress and ensure that actions that are required are indeed taken forward”.
And Alderman Wilson also asked that the issue be “brought up again at the next opportunity”.
That will be at the environmental services committee when, it is expected, a clearer path ahead will be present.
Said Alderman Wilson: “The concerns are real for the Markethill club. They do want to have a home for bowling they can be proud of and at the minute there are just a number of issues that are affecting the green that’s making that very difficult.”
He said fellow Cusher councillor, Alderman Paul Berry, had requested a meeting and he urged that that could take place, along with club representative, “as soon as possible”.
The DUP representative said he wanted to “nail down some proposals that could help the club and ensure that into the future it continues to thrive”.
Alderman Gordon Kennedy was fully supportive and said he too had had discussions on the problems.
“I had raised this quite a time ago on the back of the late Robert Hunter, who was a prominent member of the club, and there was no funding available,” said the Ulster Unionist representative.
“It was a streamline and they said if funding did become available, but obviously it has never been pencilled into the equation. I’m happy enough at it coming forth now to fruition and hopefully we’ll get something more concrete.”
It would appear that Markethill is not alone in its concerns.
For Ulster Unionist Joy Ferguson said Banbridge Bowling Club was facing similar woes.
“Good green maintenance is an integral function to any bowling club but, unfortunately, for too many years the maintenance of the club green in Banbridge hasn’t been consistent or to standard, raising wild concerns that the council isn’t prioritising our frontline services, and specifically in green-keeping and clubhouse maintenance in Banbridge,” she said.
Councillor Ferguson said “basic maintenance tasks” were “not being done over a consistent and sustained period”.
And, to that end, she added: “I would ask for an urgent meeting and that urgent short to medium term solutions are found to address the need of the green over the winter in preparation of operation for the next season.”
She also asked that an ‘options paper’ be brought back to the appropriate committee to “explore partnership arrangements with all bowling clubs who want to see good green maintenance and site maintenance”.
“We must support sporting success in all of our clubs, but in particular for bowling clubs who have been let down on their basic needs,” added Councillor Ferguson.
