We are a friendly, non-profit club located on Fifth Street across from Tulista Park, Sidney, British Columbia. We have bowling every day of the week for all different levels of experience - from social to competitive bowling. During the winter months we have daily indoor events, including short mat bowling, darts, mah jong, cards, etc. Throughout the year we have a variety of social events. New members are welcomed to join us in making our club a home away from home.
CONTACT US
JUDITH KOWAL, Membership Co-Ordinator
Tel: 250-656-0209 Fax: 250-656-4181 Email: kjkowal@shaw.ca
Mailing Address: Sidney Lawn Bowling Club
PO Box 20064
Sidney BC V8L5C9
Clubhouse emergency telephone: 250 744-8719
ALTERNATE: Ron Smith Tel: 250 652-8513
WE ARE LOCATED AT 9580 FIFTH STREET JUST SOUTH OF THE INTERSECTION WITH OCEAN AVE (soon to be a round-about) AND ACROSS FROM TULISTA PARK
2012 Fee Schedule (payable by April 1st)
Annual fees
Active playing member green fees 175.00
Junior playing member green fees 75.00
Social member 40.00
Locker rental (Small - $5.00/Large $10.00)
Name Tag (Basic $11.00/Magnetic $14.00)
Letter from the Past President
The creation of this web page is another step forward in the development of our great Club. This will be a very valuable tool in explaining our Club to prospective new members.
In the last two years we have enrolled 48 new active bowlers. In 2009, we attracted 25 new members. This was a Club record and earned us the Drake Trophy, awarded by Bowls Canada for the highest percentage increase in membership for any Lawn Bowling Club in
Canada. I think this is an awesome achievement and I would like to thank all of our members who introduced their friends to join. As of September 2011 we have 145 bowling members, and 18 social members making us the second largest Club in the Bowls South Island organization.
Our outdoor bowling season features regular draws and special events - all described in the "Schedules" and "News and Announcements" pages. We also have a wonderful indoor short mat bowling program over the winter season. If you have not tried indoor short mat bowling, you are missing a joyous experience. Please try it this fall on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday afternoons. Bowl 8 ends, enjoy tea and goodies, and then bowl another 6 ends. You will enjoy the camaraderie and excitement in playing a great bowling game.
Please tell all of your friends about our great Club and encourage them to come out and try the game. We offer free coaching, free use of Club bowls for the first season and a Club that offers year round activities. We have great Social events and a very friendly atmosphere where everyone is made welcome. It has to be the best bargain in town.
Sidney Lawn Bowling Club is also a member of the Bowls South Island organization. There are many tournaments that take place throughout the summer at the various 11 Clubs in the Group. We encourage our members to participate in the many events that take place over the summer season. You have the opportunity to meet new friends and enjoy bowling at a completive level.
Our Club can only remain viable and dynamic if we maintain an active membership. Your encouragement in persuading your friends to join will ensure that we continue to develop and grow as the best, and most friendly,Bowling Club on the Island.
Good bowling and I look forward to seeing all of you at our Great Club.
Richard VanDusen
MEET THE CLUB EXECUTIVE
THE DIRECTORS
President - Ron Smith
1st Vice President Games - Walter MacLean
2nd Vice President Facilities - Gary Fletcher
Treasurer - Denis Courchene
Secretary - Bob Day
Past President - Richard VanDusen
COMMITTEE RESPONSIBILITIES
Mens Games - John Little
Ladies Games - Jackie Day
BSI Games (Men/Ladies) - Ellen VanDusen
Membership and Communications - Judith Kowal
Social - Nancy Smith
Publicity and Advertising - Bob Orchard
Player Development - Ron Leslie (on sabbatical for the year 2012)
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Bowls - A Capsule History
(an extract from The Lawn Bowler's Handbook)
The sport of bowls, which has a long and interesting history, found its start during the ancient civilizations of China, Egypt and Rome. The Aztecs of Central America, Maoris of New Zealand, Polynesians of Hawaii and the Indians of North America all played a form of the game. Bowls has changed over the years but not to the exent that players of years gone by wouldn't recognize the game as we play it today
Rounded rocks and stones were made and eventually wooden ones. When the timber Lignum Vitae was introduced into Great Britain by explorers returning from the West Indies, craftsmen of the day discovered a wood that was superior to native woods previously used. Lignum Vitae was a hard, dense wood, so heavy that it could not float. Its whorled grain and oily resinous wood was resistant to weather and shock making it the preferred material for bowls. Although superior to previous wooden bowls it still suffered from checking and cracking due to temperature and climatic conditions and bowls had to be carefully maintained. It wasn't until the early part of this century (20th) that wood was replaced by other materials. The first of these new materials was vulcanized rubber. Soon after the advent of the hard rubber bowl came a new material - phenolformaldehyde, a resin compound. This newest material was far superior to all others previously used and all present day bowls are made of it. The material is first molded, then machined to rigid specifications, engraved, painted and finally polished and packaged for sale.
Bowls come in sets of four, each bowl in a set being identical in size, weight and identifying mark. The beginner should be careful when selecting a set of bowls as they are manufactured in a variety of sizes and weight. The criterion for selection should be to chose the largest bowl that can be comfortably and easily handled.
