JOLENE OGLE
Cooroy locals have upped the fight to save their beloved bowls club with a heartfelt petition, just as submissions close for the purchase of the venue.
The Cooroy RSL announced the sale of the Opal Street bowling green in an unsigned advice in late December citing “sustained continual losses” as the reason for the closure of the Cooroy bowls club restaurant, Locale, and sale of the land. Cooroy RSL & Citizens Memorial Bowls Club president John Simmons said the closure of the bowls club was “the hardest [decision] ever undertaken by the Board, given that the focus of the club has always been to serve the community by providing affordable facilities and services to its members and the community”. This week, members of the bowls club began a petition stating they “reluctantly accept that sale is necessary in the financial interest of Club Cooroy (Cooroy RSL)” but, urge the RSL board to not accept the highest offer submitted. The petition asks the Board to “exercise discretion” and to “consider the longer term interest of the Cooroy community in evaluating the offers received”. The petition urges the board to defer the decision of the sale of the land until the annual general meeting on March 30, where written evaluations can be submitted and a general vote taken. Mr Simmons said the board was aware of the petition but was yet to receive it; however Mr Simmons said it was difficult to consider the requests made until all submissions were received. Submissions to purchase the property closed yesterday and it is tipped that a major developer has submitted an offer to develop the land. But a Cooroy Bowls Club insider said two well-known, local families have also made offers to purchase the land, with the promise of reinvigorating the much-loved bowls club.
