It’s Maitland’s oldest club, the last one left in the CBD, and it has put out a desperate plea for support to keep its doors open.
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Maitland Park Bowling Club is doing it tough financially and has organised a fundraiser on Australia Day and a GoFundMe page to ensure the club has a future.
Board director Anthony Hackett said while the club, known by regulars as The Park, had been gradually picking up since a string of break-ins in 2012, it also had outstanding debts.
“You only need a couple of bad weeks to get you behind and potentially close the doors,” he said.
“We have a few debts, but it’s mainly about security.
“A lot of clubs are in the same position. Things are pretty tough.
“We wouldn’t want to be responsible for a club with so much history to have to close down.”
Mr Hackett said the not-for-profit club had supported countless sporting teams, churches, schools and charities since its inception in 1902 and was now asking residents to do the same for them.
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“We’ve supported the community for over 100 years,” he said.
“There’s so much history there.
“There wouldn’t be many sporting teams that haven’t had some sort of sponsorship from the club.
“We let people use the space for free. Charity events are held there and people use it for their meetings.
“That’s a promise we’ve made to Maitland, but it’s hard doing that and keeping your head above water.”
Mr Hackett said despite the club’s long history, being tucked away inside Maitland Park meant a lot of local residents didn’t know it was there.
“We are quite hidden, which makes it hard with advertising,” he said.
“There are a lot of people in the community who like to help, but unless its shown to them they won’t know.
“We just want to let the local community know we’re here.”
And with the closure of other clubs in Central Maitland, including Maitland Leagues most recently, Maitland RSL and Maitland Ex-Servicemen’s Citizen’s Bowling and Sporting Club (aka the Tin Hut), The Park is the last club left in the middle of town.
Mr Hackett said the club had made a lot of changes last year and was preparing to introduce new initiatives this year including a 7-day-a-week bistro and more live music.
The Australia Day fundraiser has been organised to get the club through what is traditionally a quiet period in January and February.
The event will include kids activities such as a jumping castle and kids disco along with barefoot bowls, thong throwing, an all day barbecue, live music and Australia-themed fun.
Mr Hackett will also be walking laps of nearby Robins Oval as a way to raise more money.
See the club’s Facebook page for more details.