At Byron Shire Council’s meeting last Thursday Cr Asren Pugh moved a motion to take steps to list the Bangalow Bowling Club site as a heritage-listed item under the Byron LEP 2014.
Public access speakers Ian Holmes and Sally Scofield both spoke in favour of the motion – Ms Scofield said the site is not simply a building.
‘The Bangalow Bowling Club is a place of continuity and community. For decades the Bowlo has functioned as a common ground, a rare multi-purpose, multi-generational space, where sport, music, hospitality, celebration and connection has flourished – a third place outside of the comforts of home and the necessity of work,’ she told public access.
‘The heritage assessment identifies the Bowlo as a building with identifiable architectural features that bear the hallmarks of classic post-war community club development.’
Ian Holmes said that both he and Ms Schofield were members of the Bowlo steering committee.
‘We are working through the very complex process of returning the Bowlo to community ownership, following Norths Collective’s decision to close the venue and to transfer the asset, all very abruptly.
Long history
‘The Bangalow Community Association strongly supports Cr Pugh’s initiative to consider the Bowlo for heritage listing as the best way of formally validating the importance of the Bowlo as a community gathering space since 1910.’
Cr Pugh said that though he felt the Council report spoke for itself regarding the significance of the Bangalow Bowlo to the Bangalow community, ‘I think it’s important to look at the planning proposal that Council are putting in,’ he said.
Social significance
‘Aesthetically, the clubhouse holds modest value being representative of a place for international style in its retained fabric. The bowling greens are aesthetically significant to the place and a visible element on the entry to Bangalow. But this is the important bit – the bowling club holds a high degree of social significance to the Bangalow community as a long-established community sporting and leisure facility with a strong sense of community spirit.
‘But the building is not the important thing. It’s that it’s a place where people meet. It’s got that history of live music. It’s got that history of community events. If you have a look at the Save Bangalow Bowlo Facebook page, there are some really important interviews with local residents about what the Bowlo means to them.’
Cr Elia Hauge, who thanked Cr Pugh for his work for the Bowlo, said she grew up in Bangalow. ‘I went to school at Bangalow Primary School, and I have so many fond memories of exactly the kind of sporting, cultural, and community events that you’re describing. I think it’s important that we do what we can to protect, not necessarily the building in it in its exact form, as it is – we know it needs repairs and upgrades – but retain the site as the important community facility that it is.’
With no speakers against, the motion was passed unanimously.
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