Bums rally to support Coorparoo Bowls Club

Bums Rally to support Coorparoo bowls club

A small contingency of BUMS members joined the rally of over 400 local residents, to save Coorparoo Bowls Club (CBC) on Sunday afternoon. Bowls Queensland is considering selling CBC to developers. It’s rumoured that they plan to replace it with high density housing. This, in the face of staunch local opposition, and in spite of the Sport and Recreational zoning the CBC site enjoys. There also appears to be little regard for the near 100 years of service the Bowls Club has brought to the Coorparoo community.

From BUMS perspective, many of our members regard CBC as our spiritual home. For the last 15 years the Bowls club has provided a home for BUMS Big Jams on the first Wednesday night of each month for the; it has also been the location of several BUMS Cabarets, Quiz Nights, Concerts, skills and training workshops, and the venue for last two World Ukulele Festivals we have celebrated since Covid. Several Community Bands have come through the upstairs hall, including Just Flukey, the Hypnotonics, The Original Crew, and the Black Wings. BUMS has used the venue for twelve of the last 15 AGMs. At the rally a number of members, including BUMS community band Out On Bail gave up the rehearsal time to join the Cooparoo community in expressing their opposition to the proposed Sale. Max Borchardt, Coordinator of the Cooparoo jam was invited to MC the gathering.

Prominent community representatives included Renee Coffey Federal Member for Griffith, Joe Kelley State memeber for Greenslopes, and Fiona Cunningham Local Member for the Coorparoo Ward, all attended expressing their opposition to and concern with the notion that Coorparoo Bowls Club might close, to be replaced with yet more housing. Coorparoo manager, Damon Lewis addressed the crowd, thanking them for their support.

Specific mention was made of BUMS whose continued presence over our life-time has been acknowledged and appreciated.