History of the
City of Heidelberg Bowling Club

The Club

On 18^th August 1913, a meeting was held at the Presbyterian Hall to form a Bowling Club in Heidelberg. The Notice of Meeting stated that "A 4-rink green can be formed for £100, towards which John May has promised £50. It will need about £100 more to put the rinks in full playing order. There is room for extension to make four more rinks, and if desirable , a croquet or tennis court."

John May became the foundation President and H.G.Behan the foundation Secretary and Treasurer. The first green was established on the site of the current Front green. The first green, and the Pavilion were opened on 19^th December 1914

The Pavilion

C.Roach prepared the plans for a Pavilion estimated to cost £100, and specifications were prepared by members W.Reynolds, A.Galvin and H.Fluck. It was envisaged that timber and framework would be cut at Rouch's timber yard in Burgundy Street and then carted to the Club's ground. John May offered to donate the wages of a carpenter for one week and others contributed too.

In 1915 electricity was connected, and in 1916, President John May said that it was desirable that the pavilion should be lined. This process was carried out a year later by W.E Reynolds. In 1919, a telephone was installed, and gas for heaters and a stove was connected in 1924. 1922 brought the addition of sewerage, and the extension of the Pavilion by 16 feet to the west, leaving a 4 foot path between the extended pavilion and the existing shed. The pavilion was extended again in 1928, this time by 7 feet to the east.

In 1949, white ants were found in the timber foundations when an extension to the kitchen was commenced. The remedial action required to overcome the problem cost £150 and the kitchen extension cost £130. In 1956 a cream brick locker room was built between the pavilion and Stradbroke Avenue, where a tool shed had been previously. This locker room is still used today. In 1958, draft plans for a new pavilion to be erected on the site of the old pavilion were drawn up. In 1960 a building sub-committee consisting of R.Mason, D.McOrist and A.Stott prepared plans for a lower cost pavilion incorporating the locker room. The new pavilion opened in September 1962, at a cost of £8260.The Pavilion was extended towards the east in 1981, relocating the kitchen, providing an office for the secretary, extending the ladies room and substantially increasing the floor area of the main hall. No other major changes have been made to date.

The VLBA Section

In 1953 it was decided to form a Ladies bowling section. In January 1954 a Special Meeting of the club was convened and the constitution was altered to permit a Ladies Bowling Section in the Club. When first established, the number of lady members was restricted to 50, but it was raised to 60 in September 1954. Initially priority was given to wives of male members, but over the years, since restrictions have been removed the numbers have increased substantially to a peak of 108 in 1988.

In October 1954, the ladies section offered to present the club with a drinking fountain, but the committee suggested that the money be put towards the purchase of a refrigerator. In addition to donating £50 to a refrigerator, the Ladies section did pay for the installation of a drinking fountain in 1956.

The Indoor Biased Bowls Section

In May 1967 consideration was given to playing bowls in winter on the croquet lawn behind the pavilion, but requirements of the croquet section made that inappropriate. Indoor biased bowls was considered as an alternative, but the cost of setting it up was deemed to be out of reach at the time.

In March 1969 a Special meeting was called to consider the formation of an Indoor Biased Bowls Section. 30 members attended and indicated their willingness to take out debentures to cover the cost of $300. for equipment. Play commenced in May 1969. In the winter of 1970 two teams were entered in the North Eastern District I.B.B.A. Competition, and the No.1 Side won the Premiership in their first year. For several years 4 pennant teams were entered. Interest in the Indoor Biased Bowls Section waned after the commencement of winter bowls on the new winter green in 1983.

The Croquet Section

In 1915 a Croquet lawn was constructed at a cost of £18/15/0 by J.Anderson of Alphington on the north side of the Pavilion. The cost was met by the newly formed Croquet Section. The maintenance costs were covered by the Bowling Club at a rental equal to that of the maintenance cost. In 1924 this lawn was extended by 6 feet to the west, but was still less than regulation "A" Grade size. As a consequence, it was agreed, in 1927, that the Croquet Section should be permitted to use the bottom bowling green for Pennant play on Wednesdays. In 1936, that permission was extended to Thursday mornings.

In 1939 a second Croquet lawn was established on the west side of Stradbroke Avenue. This lawn was built by the council on land given by the club for that purpose, on the proviso that the council would hold it for all time for recreational purposes, if it was no longer needed by the croquet section. It was agreed that the club would pay £26 per annum to the council, and the council would use this money to upkeep the green. In 1941, the cost of maintaining the lawn exceeded the £26, and the council refused to continue upkeep for that year. As a result it was decided that the club would do their own maintenance of the lawn, and the charge would cease. In 1942, the land was officially handed back to the council.

The lawn was regulation size, but permission to play on the bottom bowling green was for pennant was continued until 1967. In 1948 the original croquet lawn was renovated and used on Saturday by the Bankers, as well as for croquet on other days. Its use for bowling was ceased when the top bowling green was opened in 1954. By 1981, the Croquet Section membership had dwindled to 16. This, together with the increase in rent caused the Croquet Section to close. With the council's approval, the lawn on the west side of Stradbroke Avenue was converted to a 5-rink winter green for bowls.

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The Greens

The City of Heidelberg Bowling Club now consists of three greens. Two synthetic greens and an all-year grass green. The first synthetic green is a 5-rink green located in front of the clubhouse, on the east side of Stradbroke Avenue, and the other is an 8-rink green on the west side of Stradbroke Avenue. The all-year green used to be the second croquet lawn, next to the 8-rink green. The bottom bowling green and the first croquet lawn have both been converted to car parking.

In 1935 when there was concern about bare patches on the greens, the Department of Agriculture carried out a soil analysis. Finding the soil to not be abnormal, the Department expressed the opinion that "The greens are suffering from the debilitation following the usual intensive treatment associated with the culture of grass on bowling greens". One of their recommendations was that the greens should be spaded or ploughed to a depth of 8 inches immediately. Ploughing is preferred provided that a light horse is used, and it may be necessary to spade the edges to avoid injuring the ditches.

Again in 1984 a major program to refurbish the top, bottom and front greens was commenced. During the winter of 1984, the top layer of the top green was removed, new drainage was installed, new soil was brought in the re-sowing was done. When the old pipes were removed, it was found that many were completely blocked by roots from the plane trees in Stradbroke Avenue. During the winter of 1985 the front green under-went a similar process, and in 1987 the bottom green was done.

The Front Green

The first green was a 4-rink grass green built for a total of £200 in 1913. In 1923 this green was extended 6 feet to the east in order to improve the ditch rinks. In 1939 2 rows of 750 candle-power lights were installed, using railway lines as posts. These lights were overhauled, along withe the lights on the bottom green in 1957. In 1971 the front green was refurbished. In 1987 the front green had an automatic timed watering system installed.

The Top Green

The land on the west side of Stradbroke Avenue was bought for £150 in August 1920, in order to meet future needs of the club, at the suggestion of Colonel A.F.Garrard, the secretary at the time. In 1924 an 8-rink bowling green on the west side of Stradbroke Avenue was suggested, but it was decided that no action would be taken at that time. In 1945 a layout for a 10-rink bowling green was drawn up, but the estimated cost was deemed to be too high at the time. It was decided to proceed with the construction of a bowling green on the west side at a cost of £1200, fencing, paths, etc. were estimated to cost a further £800. Towards this cost, £50 were donated by the newly established Ladies section, £10 by the Croquet section, £544 were donated by the members, and the Heidelberg Council Civic Fund gave a grant of £500. The top green was opened in 1954. Three years later, lights were installed on the top green. In 1986 a watering system with automatic timing was installed.

The Bottom Green

This green was the second green to be established. It was a 4-rink grass green completed about April 1921 and cost an estimated £149. Two moveable electric lights were installed on this green in 1934. These lights were used by any members who were unable to leave work early enough to practice in daylight. Permanent lights were installed in 1946.These lights were overhauled, along with the front green in 1957.

The Winter Green

This green was initially the regulation size croquet lawn, that was converted to a 5-rink winter green in 1983. It has since ceased to be used as the synthetic greens are used all year round.

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The Crest

The Crest was presented to the Club during the 1973-74 season by Bill and Esme Hay to commemorate the adoption of the title 'City of Heidelberg Bowling Club'.

The Club crest incorporates the Coat of Arms of the City of Heidelberg. The design, which was officially granted to the City by the College of Arms, London, is interpreted as follows:

The carriage wheels and lamp commemorate the early beginnings of the City about 1840 when the Heidelberg Road Trust was the local authority; the wavy band and wattle blossom are symbolic of the river Yarra, whilst the supporters represent the customary mode of transport at the time. The mural crown is the emblem of local government and these perpetuate the distinctive record of the City of Heidelberg in having the first suburban form of local Government in the Colony.

An Owl, the symbol of wisdom, is also embodied in the crest as our City is named after Heidelberg in Germany whose University founded in AD 1386, became one of the most famous seats of learning.

The motto 'Industria' provides a link with the early seal of the City.

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Honours

RVBA Section

VLBA Section

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