Inner West Council cements the future of Gladstone Park Bowling Club

Wednesday 29 November 2023

Inner West Council and Gladstone Park Bowling Club are proud to announce they have agreed terms for a new 20 year lease, ensuring the future of the much-loved community club.

Gladstone Park Bowling Club recently celebrated its 125th birthday making it one of the oldest community institutions in Balmain.

In recent years the “Gladdo” has become a hub for community events and activities used by the whole Balmain community.

“The Gladstone Bowling Club is one of the most important parts of Balmain’s community identity and it was vital that we secure the club’s future for the long-term,” said Mayor Darcy Byrne.

“At a time when many local bowling clubs are having huge rent increases across NSW, Inner West Council has worked with Gladstone Park Bowling Club to land an affordable lease agreement that ensures the club continues to contribute to the community,” said Mayor Darcy Byrne.

This lease will enable the club to continue to host bowling competitions with other clubs in NSW along with Club championship games into the future whilst also providing the opportunity for everyone to experience bowls through the Club’s hugely popular barefoot bowling sessions.

Inner West Council is also adding fairylights to the majestic tree overlooking the green in time for the festive season.

“With this new lease, Gladstone Park Bowling Club will also be able to continue to sponsor local sporting teams into the future and look forward to finding more junior sporting teams that we can support,” said President Les Howarth.

“We are very excited about the future of the club and the privilege to continue to give back to the community that supports us,” Vice President James Heeks said.

“Gladstone Park Bowling Club is very thankful to Mayor Byrne and Councillors Shetty and Stamolis along with council officers for their support of the club and help to achieve this new lease with the Inner West Council for 20 years,” said Vice President James Heeks.

BACKGROUND
Gladstone Park Bowling Club turned 125 years old in 2023 and opened in the same year as the Queen Victoria Building in Sydney’s CBD. In recent years it has become a thriving community hub and regularly sees large crowds visiting to make use of the beer garden and barefoot bowling at “The Gladdo”.

The Gladdo is used by many local schools and community groups as a meeting place for their various functions during the year. The Balmain Ukulele group uses the venue twice a month to host their evening events.

For media enquiries please contact Margaret Merten, Margaret.Merten@innerwest.nsw.gov.au