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Lane Cove Bowling & Recreation Club
History of the Club
Lane Cove Bowling Club was established in 1952 as Lane Cove West Bowling Club. At that time it was one of 5 bowling clubs in Lane Cove including a Womens' bowling club.
However, the enormous changes to the society since then have seen the demise of all the others and it is now the only competitive bowls club left in Lane Cove. In 2008, the club dropped the West in the name and became Lane Cove Bowling and Recreation Club.
In 1951 a relatively young chap named Phillip Smyth decided to take on the time-honoured sport of lawn bowls. He applied for membership of the Lane Cove Bowling Club, but they had, what seemed, an endless waiting list. Not deterred he decided to investigate the possibility of establishing a bowling club in Lane Cove West. After checking with local residents Phil found many not only thought a bowling club was desirable it was necessary. And so, after such an enthusiastic response a meeting was held in the Presbyterian Hall in Figtree Street on 17 July 1952 attended by 75 people (men only at the time) where it was decided to form a Bowling Club.
The newly formed Lane Cove West Bowling Club’s evolution was now well on the way. The Club was constituted on 30 October 1952 at a General Meeting held in the School of Arts building in Longueville Road, Lane Cove and the foundation office bearers were duly elected. The Club had 139 members on the books of which only 36 had paid their subscribed fee.
Funds were tight in the early years and prior to occupying our present building in 1962 the Club operated from “The Old Tin Shed” an Econo-hut purchased for 2,037 pounds. After much hard work by dedicated members in the construction of this prefabricated building the first Annual General Meeting in the Club’s new premises was held in November 1954.
Phillip Smyth
New Club House Before and After
In 1960 Lane Cove Council agreed to the Club building a new clubhouse on our present site in Burns Bay Road, Lane Cove West.
With Club savings, a bank overdraft and member guarantees plus a Bill of Sale over the Club’s property covering the Bank’s lending criteria a new Clubhouse was completed and opened in April 1964 at a cost of 43,614 pounds.
The Club also purchased two parcels of land in 1959 and 1960 for 600 pounds and 1,024 pounds respectively, adjacent to green 3.
The Club’s first green was commenced in 1954 and opened in 1955. A second green was opened in 1956 and through a council loan of $14,000 a third green was laid in 1965.
The Club continues to grow and is a vital part of our community, both socially and sporting, offering a wide range of facilities for members, guests and the wider community.
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