Lots of Years Ago.
4 – 6 – 64.
New pavilion opened at Donald Place. Some indoor bowls played until September. New kitchen was built later in the year.
June 2002.
Allen Snowden made a life member of St. Albans-Merivale.
Allen joined the club in 1981 and became an executive member in 01984. He became treasurer in 1988, a position he held that position until 2010. The dedication and enthusiasm Allen displayed in that task was second to none; there being no doubt that the club was in extremely capable hands with Allen at the financial helm. That has been acknowledged by the club by awarding Allen a life membership.
It would be true to say that Allen’s job got difficult each year. Like so many sporting clubs we have a strong reliance on finance from various pub charities and foundations. With more clubs and organizations chasing an ever diminishing dollar it is becoming very difficult to get the dollars for the general running costs.
For clubs to have an improved financial foundation it is essential to have a good membership base. An ever popular conundrum is how can we, as a club, attract new members?
Allen, like some others, felt that eventually amalgamation may be a solution. He felt that members needed to be aware of amalgamation and be prepared to respond to any action suggested in our district.
[How correct was this?]
Thank you Allen for all your hard work, the Saint Albans-Merivale Bowling Club is indebted to you for all your efforts.
June 2002.
Alison Bigg was elected the first women president of St. Albans-Merivale.
At the 2002 AGM Alison saw her vision for the club; “In the next 5 – 10 years I would like to see a debt free club with an increased membership but still retaining our friendly homely atmosphere. My hope is that present and future executives will have the foresight and enthusiasm of their forebears, the original founders of this club.
Alison also became a life member in 2015.
June 2009.
Vince Roper, from Bowls Canterbury, handing over the Silver Star Award to outgoing president Mick Tarling at the A.G.M. in June, 2009. Under Mick’s stewardship the St. Albans-Merivale Bowling Club met extremely stringent criteria and became the first club to receive the award. The club got there by getting things done and making things happen. The club was very close to being awarded a Gold Star Award.
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Thirteen Years Ago.
18 – 6 – 12
President Allan Reid [St. Albans-Merivale] and webmaster Murray Scott pictured with Bill, aka the William Webb Trophy, at the Christchurch Football Club on the day of the Ireland v All Blacks test. Also pictured is the World Cup jersey worn by Richie McCaw.
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Twelve Years Ago.
23 – 6 – 13
Highlight of the St. Albans-Merivale AGM was the appointment of Mick Tarling as a life member of the St. Albans-Merivale Bowling Club. A deserved appointment.
MuzzaWeb understands it was one of the few occasions Mick has been lost for words.
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Eleven Years Ago
3 – 6 – 14
St. Albans-Merivale was chosen as Bowls Canterbury’s club of the year.
27 – 6 – 14
Changes afoot at the St. Albans-Merivale clubrooms with the Curves’ area being altered and the kitchen going to the other end.
Discovered in the wall was a part of a 1976 advertising section of The Chch. Star. Prices were somewhat different then!!!!!
Weetbix 51c
Wilkinson Sword razor blades $1.35
White Magic 29c
Hair spray $1.45
Soap powder 67c
29 – 6 – 14
The 111th AGM was held in the clubrooms with 40 members present.
Not only did we get Bowls Canterbury’s club of the year but we also gained a “Gold Award” from Bowls New Zealand.
Ten Years Ago.
14 – 6 – 15
The 112th AGM was held in the clubrooms with 37 members present.
It was an important meeting as two members were awarded life memberships, Alison Bigg and Pat Gregory.
Both members have made substantial contributions to the St. Albans-Merivale Bowling Club, both being president at some stage, in fact Alison was the first women to become president.
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Eight Years Ago.
25 – 6 – 17
It was the 114th AGM of the St. Albans-Merivale Bowling Club.
What a bitter sweet day. By only the j of margins the members approved the motion to amalgamate with Elmwood. It was a sad day because a club with such a proud history will cease to exist but a good one as so many members realised that amalgamation was the only logical course of action.
Once the dust settles MuzzaWeb was certain that the move will be looked at positively and we will look forward to belonging to a new club that has many plans for the future.
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Six Years Ago
11 – 6 – 19
Elmwood Park Bowling Club was named as the seventh team to compete in this year’s expanded Bowls3Five televised league and the Canterbury representatives boast a stellar line-up.
The Elmwood Saints, as they will be known, were led by recalled Blackjack Gary Lawson, who has decided to step out from the commentary box.
The 13-time national champion has assembled a strong Saints team, featuring two former New Zealand reps.
Glasgow Commonwealth Games bronze medallist and five-time national champion Mandy Boyd has joined her partner Lance Pascoe at Elmwood Park, having been a stalwart of the Burnside Bowling Club in recent years.
Fellow former Blackjack Jan Shirley and 2018 national pairs champion Bev Morel have also been named in the Saints team, along with Steve Ditfort, who has won 12 Canterbury titles.
The Elmwood Saints will join Bowls3Five national interclub champions Hinuera, the defending champion Point Chevalier Pirates, the Gore Rams, Stoke Thunder, Royal Oak Rockets and Stokes Valley Vipers in the second edition of the league, which was broadcast live on SKY Sport three nights a week for eight weeks from late October.
Five Years Ago
9 – 6 – 20
Yippee!!!!!!
Level 1 is here. Almost back to normal.
Thank you to the club and centre officials who have supported and communicated important COVID-19 messages.
Thank you to our greenkeepers and club personnel who maintained our greens and facilities during lockdown.
Thank you to our members who placed our nation’s health ahead of playing bowls.
We’ve done it together with our team of five million, and we’re now in Alert Level One.
Please continue to keep safe and healthy, support a contacting tracking system and enjoy your bowls!
Thank you New Zealand.
10 – 6 – 20
It has been decided that now we have moved down to level 1 we will be running the winter bowls on a Monday. This will start on Monday, June 15th, at 1.00.
The Wednesday bowls is still cancelled for the rest of the season.
10 – 6 – 20 20 players turned up for the first day.
20- 6 – 20 Dunedin, here we come!!
The covid delayed final of the Canterbury Bowls3Five competition was held at Riccarton Racecourse Bowling Club on a very cold and miserable morning.
Elmwood Park played Canterbury 2017 and won 2 – 1.
Gary Lawson Mandy Boyd Liam Eathorne 3 – 3 8 – 0
Kelvin Scott Stephen Ditfort Jan Shirley 6 – 1 8 – 2
Lance Pascoe Nathan Glasson Bev Morel 0 – 8 13 – 6 0 – 1
Elmwood Park travelled down to Dunedin to play on the 27th June 2020. The winner of the June 27th event travelled to the Bowls3Five Grand Interclub Final in Naenae Bowling Club on 1st – 2nd August 2020.
27- 6 – 20 Wellington, here we come!!
A great result from Dunedin. Two wins.
v Meadowbank. G. Lawson 5 – 3 5 – 3 L. Pascoe 11 – 0 5 – 3 K. Scott 2 – 3 7 – 2 0 – 1
v Te Rangi. G. Lawson 7 – 2 7 – 1 L. Pascoe 3 – 3 6 – 2 K. Scott 4 – 5 4 – 5
Four Years Ago
30 – 6 – 21
Finally the news that we have all been waiting for has arrived. The Communityu Board, unanimously granted us the right last night, to demolish the old club rooms and build the new clubhouse.
In spite of strong opposition from some local residents the Board approved the club’s demolition and the new clubrooms to be built in the terms of the plans submitted by the club’s architect. Certain limitations have been placed on their usage but the club is confident that the new clubrooms could be hired for the same purposes.
MuzzaWeb would like to acknowledge the hard work put in by Pete Smith and Chris Littlewood in bringing this dream into fruition.
Three Years Ago
7 – 6 – 22
The framing was starting to go up on the new build at Heaton Street.
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Our builders have made some great progress over the past few weeks, with the new build of our Heaton Street clubhouse. The floor slab has now been poured and the steel frames are being craned into place. As you can see, the shape of the new facility is really starting to show! We will continue to provide updates over the coming months as the dream becomes a reality!
13 – 6 – 22
Congratulations Tim, a well-deserved award.
Bowls Canterbury has released its 2012 – 23 programme.
Interclub
Due to the late notification of the Aotearoa Bowls tournament in Christchurch on Waitangi Weekend, we have had to move interclub. This has unfortunately resulted in a double header on the 18th February.
A strong theme in the submissions was there should be no interclub scheduled for Saturday afternoons. To accommodate this request Saturday interclub will start slightly earlier in the season and will all be played in the mornings.
Any Combination (AC)
There were a lot of requests for more mixed/gender neutral events. BC has introduced some AC events into the interclub programme.
Play will commence at 1pm on Mondays. This will allow greenkeepers to have Monday mornings to work on their greens. The Over 60’s competitions will be graded into divisions rather than sections. A problem for Elmwood Park as the popular Edwards Cup is played on Monday afternoons.
Post-Christmas Over 60’s Sevens & Women’s Premier Sevens
Will now be two pairs, one triple
AC 8s Post Christmas
Will compete for the Manning Cup
2. No Saturday afternoon play post Christmas, i.e. no Manning Cup. Manning Cup is now to be played for in the Any Combinations 8s post Christmas on Saturday mornings.
Two Years Ago
18 – 6 – 23
At the recent Bowls Canterbury Awards Dinner Bev Morel received a bar for her Gold Star, her 40th Centre title. What a performance.
What a Night: Elmwood Park winners. C0ngratulations. Other winners included:
Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year. 
Most consistent male bowler of the year.
Gold Stars: 15 titles Kelvin Scott. 10 titles Jan Shirley. 5 titles Ricky Cook 
Well done to Fiona Frew and Kim Rowlands who have qualified for the Australian Open women’s pairs. Section play was played at Paradise Point [Gold Coast.]
They won three games; 19 – 14, 24 – 10 and 10 – 17.Post section June 18, knockout, at Broadbeach, v Olivia Piper (SA), Laini McGorman (SA)
One year Ago
4 – 6 – 24
Morning working bee on No 2 green. Taking a break for morning tea. Stones cleared from the edges so work on the surrounds can begin.12 – 6 – 24
Work on the surrounds of n0. 2 green begins.The contractors are using machinery in the area and have asked that our members NOT visit the site when the work is being carried out for health and safety requirements.
Meanwhile a look at Donald Place.
Hard to believe this was once a bowling club. Donald Place. So different..
Roll ups, Nov. 11, 2017. Who would have predicted this happening?.
2017. Championship fours. 
Women’s championship triples, 2017