Major upgrade lights way for Winchelsea bowlers

TWILIGHT bowls are officially on the agenda at the Winchelsea Bowls Club, following the installation of night competition-standard lighting around the club’s green.

The $150,000 project, jointly funded by the Victorian government and the Winchelsea Bowls Club and delivered by the Surf Coast Shire, saw the installation of four dimmable 13.5-metre lighting towers at the club’s Hesse Street site.

The upgrade will allow the club to provide safer bowling conditions for players, host more competitions throughout the year and build on its growing membership of almost 100 members.

Stepping in for community sport minister Ros Spence, parliamentary secretary for community sport Michaela Settle joined locals on the green last Friday to help officially switch on the new lights.

“Winchelsea is the bowls hub in the local area. Locals deserve modern facilities they can be proud of,” Ms Settle said.

“The new lighting is a real boon for local bowls, providing the club the opportunity to welcome more players and take the local game to the next level.

“Better sport and recreation facilities make it easier for Victorians to get involved in local sport and recreation and lead healthy and active lifestyles.”

Winchelsea Bowls Club president Andrew Doyle thanked the Victorian government, Sport and Recreation Victoria and the shire for its support.

“The club’s success off the green with this project complements the success we have had on the green winning six premierships in different divisions in the past four years,” he said.

“We look forward to further improvements as we continue to grow the game in Winchelsea.”

The Winchelsea Bowls Club first approach the shire with a concept for the lighting upgrade in November 2022 via the council’s online community project proposal portal, and the shire’s community project development program guided a working group through the project’s initial planning phases.

Shire ayor Mike Bodsworth congratulated the club and broader Winchelsea community for initiating the project which he said would “help light the way for the club for decades to come”.

“Expansion of playing and training options under lights is sure to appeal to existing and new members in the growing community and help keep people across a wide range of ages active and involved,” he said.