South Hedland bowls club on brink

The South Hedland Bowling and Tennis Club could be set to close its doors next month, as the club battles to stay open due to financial hardships.

The club is in “dire straits”, according to president Mark Wainwright, who said the reality was that the club would close after the annual Boodarie Bowls Carnival in July.

“It’s just financial, (it’s a) lack of commitment, people’s work — they don’t wanna spend the money no more ... the Hedland Liquor Accord, you know liquor licensing has got a big part to play as well,” Mr Wainwright said.

“If it shuts it will become a white elephant.”

Mr Wainwright said the issue wasn’t so much that the club was lacking members of which it has about 300, but that there were too many outgoings including loan repayments and Shire fees in comparison to the money being made by the club.

He said the club also had to pay out several thousands of dollars at a time for repairs including $3000 to fix a door, $5000-$6000 on electrical work and $20,000 on a new bar to name a few.

“The amount of money we’ve wasted on fixing this place in the past two years, from brand new ... I’d hate to give you a figure,” he said.

The club facility was only opened two years ago after a $4 million development and relocation.

The Town of Port Hedland along with Royalties for Regions contributed $2.5 million to the upgrade, while BHP provided $1 million and the club footed the bill for $500,000 of the development which it is paying off.

Shona Wise, secretary of the Port Hedland Bowls Club, said that club was also suffering due to memberships.

She said if the club closed it would be a shame for all of the people who had worked hard over the past 30 years to get the clubroom up and running.

South Hedland club vice-president Sue Moritz said it wasn’t enough for members to just buy membership, but that they needed to stand up and be accountable and to support the club on a weekly basis to keep it alive.

The club will run on reduced opening hours until the July carnival, opening from 5pm Monday to Thursday, 4pm onwards on Fridays and from 11am on weekends.