GOODNA Bowls Club president Mal Levarre-Waters was the happiest man in Ipswich when the keys to the new clubhouse were presented to him on Friday.
The club was devastated by the 2011 floods, but now a $2.4 million project funded by the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, the Ipswich City Council and Federal and State governments has seen it presented with a brand, new clubhouse to be proud of.
The funding also paid for new change and amenity rooms for the Goodna Gladiators rugby union club and little athletics.
The Goodna Bowls Club battled on for two years in a couple of demountables, while the new clubhouse was being built.
It took its toll emotionally and financially on the club and its members but Mr Levarre-Waters said members could look forward to a bright future.
"This will be the best bowls club in the Ipswich and Brisbane area," he said.
"The clubhouse is a whole new building with a much larger entertainment area, a lovely kitchen and a brand new bar.
"Over the last two years we lost $200,000 because we couldn't put functions on, but this new clubhouse is going to be tremendous.
"We've lost a few members over the flood period, but we will get them back.
"We are going to have a good program to get people back. We'll have barefoot bowls, corporate bowls and we'll get the schoolkids back. We haven't had them here the last couple of years because we haven't had the facilities."
Goodna-based Cr Paul Tully said the handover of the keys was an important event.
"It reminds people that while we are sad for what we have lost, we are committed to getting our lives in our community back to normal," Cr Tully said.
"For our local lawn bowls champions, that means getting out of those demountables they've been stuck in for two years and back into a clubhouse they can call their own."
Cr David Morrison, the council's parks sports and recreation chairman, said the new clubhouse was "the second largest piece of all flood reconstruction work after Colleges Crossing".
www.QT.com.au
4.2.13
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| GREAT DAY: Goodna Bowls Club president Mal Levarre-Waters celebrates with Cr Paul Tully (left). |
GOODNA Bowls Club president Mal Levarre-Waters was the happiest man in Ipswich when the keys to the new clubhouse were presented to him on Friday.
The club was devastated by the 2011 floods, but now a $2.4 million project funded by the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, the Ipswich City Council and Federal and State governments has seen it presented with a brand, new clubhouse to be proud of.
The funding also paid for new change and amenity rooms for the Goodna Gladiators rugby union club and little athletics.
The Goodna Bowls Club battled on for two years in a couple of demountables, while the new clubhouse was being built.
It took its toll emotionally and financially on the club and its members but Mr Levarre-Waters said members could look forward to a bright future.
"This will be the best bowls club in the Ipswich and Brisbane area," he said.
"The clubhouse is a whole new building with a much larger entertainment area, a lovely kitchen and a brand new bar.
"Over the last two years we lost $200,000 because we couldn't put functions on, but this new clubhouse is going to be tremendous.
"We've lost a few members over the flood period, but we will get them back.
"We are going to have a good program to get people back. We'll have barefoot bowls, corporate bowls and we'll get the schoolkids back. We haven't had them here the last couple of years because we haven't had the facilities."
Goodna-based Cr Paul Tully said the handover of the keys was an important event.
"It reminds people that while we are sad for what we have lost, we are committed to getting our lives in our community back to normal," Cr Tully said.
"For our local lawn bowls champions, that means getting out of those demountables they've been stuck in for two years and back into a clubhouse they can call their own."
Cr David Morrison, the council's parks sports and recreation chairman, said the new clubhouse was "the second largest piece of all flood reconstruction work after Colleges Crossing".
www.QT.com.au
4.2.13
