Mann Park Lawn Bowling Club’s big 60th anniversary plans were scuttled last spring by the COVID-19 outbreak, but rather than sulk, the club switched gears and decided to use the downtime to undertake some much-needed renovations.
Now, one year later, the renovations are complete and the club is set for its 2021 official opening – even if current provincial health orders once again restrict how members can actually mark the occasion. Noting that it was a “major renovation,” Martha McArthur – a longtime member and club secretary – told Peace Arch News that renos included fixing drainage on the the south perimeter of the property and replanting of a flower bed in the same area.
“We… are all very pleased to have a safe environment in which to bowl,” she said.
At the club’s official opening day event on May 8, the garden – which had to be removed and replaced to fix the drainage issues – will be dedicated to the memory of Edda Klarich, a former member who passed away in 2018.
McArthur said Klarich “tended the garden lovingly for years.” Klarich’s husband and son – both of whom are active members of Mann Park – will be at the dedication, she noted.
Though the club, which is located at 14560 North Bluff Rd., will host its official opening on May 8, the club actually opens for the season this weekend, with some socially-distanced coaching planned, McArthur noted.
From that point, all activities – be it practices or competitive games – will move forward as guided by provincial health authority guidelines.
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