May 1949.
Recommendations passed at St. Albans AGM May with regard to women’s membership, 1949.
Annual subscription £3 reducible to £2.10.0 if paid by Dec. 1
* Maximum members be 32.
* Play on greens Monday to Saturday subject to the decision of the executive on the availability of the greens.
* No voting rights.
* Form their own committee to control games and arrange matches.
First tournament organized for February 21 where teams were invited from each of the ladies’ bowling clubs with an entrance fee of 2 shillongs.
Nineteen Years Ago.
May 2005
At the Bowls Canterbury Awards Dinner Stephen Ditfort and May Ann Johnstone were presented with gold stars, 5 titles, and Bev Morel a 4th bar after winning her 25th title.
Thirteen Years Ago.
15 – 5 – 11
The Canterbury rugby referees joined SAM for drinks on Saturday evenings commencing May 21 at 5.00. Also they had meetings every two weeks for instructional purposes. Their “home” in AMI Stadium was unavailable.
The St. Albans-Merivale Bowling Club was delighted to welcome them.
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Twelve Years Ago.
2 – 5 – 12
Bowls Canterbury presented proposals to interested persons from all clubs at three meetings during the week. It was important that members of club match committees attended.
That there needs to be a preparedness to accept change is critical for our sport of bowls to survive. Clubs must offer game formats that are appealing for their customers.
The outcome that Bowls New Zealand is seeking is that all clubs are to aim for participation growth and members playing more often.
There were three meetings held during the week where club members all had the opportunity to have their say.
It is a time of change, changes may well occur, the opportunity was there to have a say and make suggestions. There was no point complaining about outcomes if you failed to put an opinion forward.
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9 – 5 – 12
Here is an article that appeared in the Dominion Post and The Press, 10 – 5 – 12.
“Change About to Sweep Through Bowling Greens”
Bowls has become an increasingly popular sport set up for an ever-decreasing minority, according to the sport’s chief executive, Kerry Clark.
The good news for bowls traditionalists is that their sport remains popular among the masses, with about 90,000 Kiwis having a roll up annually.
The bad news is that the vast majority of them are not members and, of those who are, only a small percentage take part in the club and centre tournaments that dominate the greens for most of the year.
Clark said that had to change and for the past six weeks he has travelled the country pushing that message.
“We’re talking to our clubs to say the big issue you have is re-programming,” he said this week.
“Don’t tie up the club and everything else for competitions and commitments that only 10 per cent of your people are going to play in. That’s the issue.
“All those competitions for [singles, pairs, triples, fours] and repeated for men and women, champion of champions and god knows what else, they are programmed from the start of October to well into May every weekend. But of the number of traditional members we have, only about 10 per cent of them will take part.”
Clark cited the concept of players being graded in years as one of the “sacred cows” that needed to go.
“You will find some people who join the serious stuff have actually played for 15 years in business house and all of a sudden they are in the bowls scene as a first year player.
A lot of the competitions that might have been OK 20 years ago are not now. It’s a matter of re-engaging.
“Clubs have to move from a traditional programming model to one with more flexibility.”
Ideas include club greens being handed over to casuals at least two nights a week for short format play of two to three hours and on Saturday mornings for short format interclub competitions.
“Play from 9am to 11am then you have the rest of the weekend free. We have to start thinking of the players as customers rather than, `they have to be like us … this is the bowling club and if you join this is how it is’. We have a hell of a lot of under-utilised real estate.”
Short-format play has been around for a while without really breaking up the longer forms of the game.
However, with the emergence of Twenty20 cricket often referenced and some high-profile televised events coming up in Australia to be aired in New Zealand, Clark believes the mood for change is gathering pace.
In truth, the former international player has been peddling the need to adapt or die since the launch of the One Bowls initiative in 2004, a major project aimed at reversing declining membership by attracting a new young generation of players.
“This is a follow-up on it,” he said. “It’s really talking about the need for every level of the sport to work more closely together; Bowls New Zealand, centres and clubs.
“This is about the need for us to address the sport through participation rather than membership. Traditional membership has been on a decline really since 1992.”
While society has changed drastically, the sport of bowls has in many ways stood still.
“What we found when we started collecting statistics in 2003 and continue to, is that through the same time the number of people who have engaged in the sport through mates in bowls, or business house, has continued to increase. Participation over the last three years has been about 92-93,000 people. People are still playing bowls, but doing it in a different way.
“But the model that has been promoted right up to now in terms of how you run the clubs and centres has always been around traditional membership.
“You have a decreasing number playing in centre competitions and the like because of other commitments.”
Across the Tasman the trend has been the same and Clark has drawn on research that shows Australia’s ever-increasing casual players want to play, but not in the traditional format.
“They are telling them `we’ll play at the club more than once, but we don’t want to engage in the way you play it because it takes up too much time, it’s too regimented’. “It also turns off the guy who may not be a champion but wants to play. There’s not enough provided for him.”
Clark has found interclub competitions are thriving in rural areas where the season is not interrupted by endless centre events for the elite 10 per cent. They are playing against people of the same level, they’re not cannon fodder for the good players all the time.
“Over 80 per cent of the players in Central Otago play interclub.
“In Manawatu they have 29 Saturdays and Sundays allocated for centre competitions during the year with less than 10 per cent of their people playing. The average player, who may want to play on those weekends, there is nothing provided for them.
“These are the issues we are trying to solve.”
While he still thinks there are too many clubs Clark is not pushing the merger barrow, and said most clubs and centres had acknowledged they needed to change.
“The reaction we are getting is, `hey, we are seeing that, and agree. Help us to redo the programme.’ Others are saying, `come up with some templates and suggestions on how to go about it’.”
Which is the challenge now for Bowls New Zealand.
15 – 5 – 12
Mt. Pleasant Bowling Club (Inc) has advised that their club has officially merged with Redcliffs Bowling Club and will now be known as Redcliffs Mount Pleasant Bowling Club. 2023 they were labelled as Club Redcliffs.
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Ten Years Ago.
13 – 5 – 14
All club members were invited to attend any of the 4 playing programme roadshows. Adrian Robins Bowls Canterbury CEO presented the new 2014-2015 playing programme.
Bowls Canterbury CEO Adrian Robins addressed members in a series of meetings bowlers had the opportunity to discuss the programme and provide feedback.
Sixteenth Years Ago.
4 – 5 – 18
Champion of champion pairs winners Lois Grey and Lynne Brown.
17 – 5 – 18
The first AGM of the Elmwood Park Bowling Club was held.
Pam Phair was elected president and a new committee was elected.
Most interesting was a suggested proposal from Barry Milner that Donald place could be the venue for the new proposed indoor venture. More developments to come!!!!! But they never eventuated.
Erin taking the minutes.
Five Years Ago.
14 – 5 – 19
Elmwood Park has received notification that as from the 20 May Nurse Maude has withdrawn permission for bowlers to park on their property. Hence the gate into their property at Donald Place will be permanently locked from the 20th may and the key removed.
Five Years Ago.
14 – 5 – 19
Elmwood Park has received notification that as from the 20 May Nurse Maude has withdrawn permission for bowlers to park on their property. Hence the gate into their property at Donald Place will be permanently locked from the 20th may and the key removed.
Even a 45 minute power cut didn’t dampen spirits.
On top of the awards that were expected, i.e. champion of champion and Centre titles, there were some additional ones as well.
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Four Years Ago.
11 – 5 – 20 & 13 – 5 – 20
Both the Monday and Wednesday afternoon sessions of indoor bowls to be held at the Papanui Club were informed by the club that due to covid 19 there would be no bowls to be held.
14 – 5 – 20
Level 2 is here.
Although we are not playing bowls at present, if we were here are some of the conditions we would be playing under.
All Bowls ‘on green’ activity is limited to singles, pairs and triples, on wide rinks.
No more than six (6) people on a wide (5.0 metre minimum) rink.
No more than 4 people at each end. 1 metre social distancing practiced.
Maintain very high hygiene standards. Wash hands before and after play.
No shaking of hands before or after play.
Clubs must reconfigure their greens to have rinks at least 5.0 metres wide.
This will mean that many greens can only accommodate six (6) rinks.
All players are to ensure that the same player on each team places mats or places/rolls jacks.
Bowls equipment (outside of mats and jacks) cannot be shared between players (e.g. bowls, cloths, measures etc.).
All coaches / umpires / markers should practice physical distancing of 1.0m and not come into contact with bowler’s equipment, unless necessary
22 – 5 – 20
Level 2 has arrived and club members took the opportunity to have a Friday afternoon drink. Social distancing at Donald Place.
Members enjoying a catch up at Heaton Street.
4 – 5 – 20
Every year, Bowls New Zealand runs a number of coach development clinics, where foundation and development coaches can learn how to pass lawn bowls skills on to budding bowlers. They’re normally a day of theory and practice, in the clubhouse and on the green, where a teacher teaches teachers.
If you’d said a year ago … even 6 months ago … that the next coach development course could be held ‘virtually’ … remotely through the computer screen … you’d probably have said that Bowls New Zealand was dreaming.
But the COVID lockdown changed everything.
So to keep the ball rolling (or at least the jacks and lawn bowls rolling), Coach Development Lead, Graeme Rees, bravely mooted the concept of trying Bowls New Zealand’s first on-line coaching course.
“I think they’re here to stay, despite the reduction to Level 1 lockdown,” says Rees. “Whether they supersede actual face-to-face courses is a different question – after all, we still need to do the practical part of the courses out on the green.”
25 – 5 – 20
About the future of the Elmwood Park Bowling Club. A decision was made to seek and engage a consultant to help us in our club’s future planning. A lot of things have changed in recent years and particularly in the last 2 months, and we are keen to get a professional opinion to help us make the right future decisions.
Three Years Ago
2 – 5 – 21
Gary Lawson who won all his games in post section but was disqualified from further participation, the next day, when he did not have a full set of similar bowls. None of his opponents had any problem with it. Seemed a harsh decision.
However on appeal he was allowed to continue. Gary Lawson played in the delayed men’s singles semi final against Richard Hocking, Burnside, who got out to a 6 point lead early in the game. Lawson pegged him back to be ahead 20 – 19 but a single to Hocking had them at 20 – 20. In the final end Hocking held his nerve and outdrew Lawson for a 21 – 20 victory.
Two Years Ago.
5 – 4 – 22
EPBC is in the process of an ambitious rebuild project of a new clubhouse and green at our Heaton Street location. The new facility will be one of the best in the country and will be an asset to the lawn bowling community in Christchurch. After some initial delays, the site has now been cleared and the concrete slab for the new building is almost ready to be poured.
30 – 4 – 22 & 1 – 5 – 22 Finals Weekend.
4 Titles!! 
A superb weekend for Elmwood Park Bowling Cup at the Canterbury Centre Finals Weekend, hosted by Papanui Club.
An incredible 4 Canterbury titles and 1 runners up award from our 7 teams competing over the course of the weekend.
Men’s triples final: Gary Lawson Kelvin Scott Nathan Glasson v R. Hocking [Burnside] W 14 – 4Men’s fours runners up: Paul McKinnel Don Baker Ian Rule Liam Eathorne. Final v Burnside Lost 14 – 15
Semi Finalist – Men’s Pairs: Nathan Glasson, Ricky Cooke
Semi Finalist – Mixed Pairs: Ian Rule, Fiona Frew
A huge congratulations to all players for your fantastic results.
8 – 5 – 22
The Elmwood Park Saints are the 2022 Bowls New Zealand Interclub 3Fives champions!! 
Over three days of competition, the Saints were outstanding. After winning 6 of their 7 games in section play, they were then dominant throughout the post section knockout stages to claim the title. Congratulations to Lance Pascoe, Kelvin Scott, Mandy Boyd and selector/manager Gary Lawson on another superb achievement
11 – 5 – 22
New Clubhouse update (May) – The
team at Armitage Williams have been busy on the construction of the new clubhouse at Heaton Street. The concrete panels have been craned into place and the ground is currently being prepared for the floor slab to be poured. We will keep you posted as we progress this exciting project!
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12 – 4 – 22
One week later.
31 – 5 – 22
Blackjack Gary Lawson has withdrawn from a Trans-Tasman series due to be played over Queen’s birthday weekend. Would his exclusion from the upcoming series puts his Commonwealth Games selection in doubt. He will be replaced by Auckland-based bowler Mike Galloway.
The team heading to Queensland for the Trans-Tasman series includes Parajack debutants Pam Walker and Gerald Brouwers who join Mark Noble, Graham Skellern, Kevin Smith, Lynda Bennett, Sue Curran and Bronwyn Milne.
The Blackjacks comprise Ali Forsyth, Mike Galloway, Tony Grantham, Andrew Kelly and Shannon McIlroy (men) and Tayla Bruce, Selina Goddard, Katelyn Inch, Val Smith and Nicole Toomey.
3 – 7 – 22
In the national champion of champion singles event former club member Steve Ditfort and Ricki Cook, representing Redcliffs-Mt. Pleasant, were both eliminated at the quarter final stage. Great effort guys.
Major changes seen as Bowls Canterbury released its 2012 – 23 programme.
Here were some pertinent points for Elmwood Park.
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.
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5 – 5 – 23
A “gathering” was held for the first time at the new clubrooms. Fantastic. Opening gifts were presented to our patrons and life members.
5 – 5 – 23
A “gathering” was held for the first time at the new clubrooms. Fantastic. Opening gifts were presented to our patrons and life members.
Gifts were also given to all current full playing members.
President Pete Smith addressing the members and guests in what was a great evening in a fabulous setting. Congratulations to the many members who made it possible. MuzzaWeb would like to thank Pete who was the driving force behind this rebuild.
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Commem0rative wineglass for each member. Nice touch!
12 – 5 – 23
A first of just an ordinary Friday night. Quite a crowd turned up including the architects and associates.
President Pete doing what he does best, talk!!!
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13 – 5 – 23
As a result of bad weather and several delays Bowls Canterbury held the Centre triples women’s triples post section. The Jan Shirley skipped team and the Kim Rowlands skipped team played as did the Nathan Glasson skipped team. They played on the Halswell artificial. The team of Kim Rowlands, Fiona Frew and Tania Woodham were beaten by Donelda Scott 8 – 12 at the quarter final stage while Nathan Glasson, Paul McKinnel and Terry Marshall were defeated by Dean Mower, Beckenham, 11 – 15 in round 1.
The final was the following day.
14 – 5 – 23
Congratulations! What a win!!!! Jan Shirley, Nylla Tamati and Bev Morel had a resounding victory over Christchurch’s Donelda Scott 20 – 0 in the Centre women’s triples.
Is this a record? The final was 5 months after section play!!!!
MuzzaWeb believes this was Nylla’s 1st Centre title, Jan’s 12th and Bev’s 40th. Amazing!
It was great opportunity to celebrate Elmwood Park’s winners on Saturday night at the new clubrooms at Heaton Street. After an incredibly successful season for Elmwood Park, there was plenty to celebrate.Thanks for those who attended and congratulations to all the winners!!
It was a good night enjoyed by all and so good in the new clubrooms.
It was the Nathan Glasson night as he picked up multiple awards, each one to the accompanying renditions of “Happy Birthday!”
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It was the Nathan Glasson show. What a year he had, both at club and centre level.
