The Suva Bowling Club was officially opened in 1970 by Fiji’s Governor General, Sir Robert Foster.
The event was covered by The Fiji Times on June 1, 1970. Sir Robert said the club had a great deal to be proud of.
Since the early days, bowling standards had improved and Fiji bowlers went to compete at overseas events with utmost confidence, he said.
He then wished the team that was to travel to Edinburgh to represent Fiji at the Commonwealth Games a successful outing.
“Come home well honoured, as I am sure you will,” he said.
Sir Robert said the new building would give added interest and pleasure to those who attend the annual South Pacific Bowling Carnival.
“Now, we are so well established here, I’m told that people go away and talk about it and brag about having played here.”
Sir Robert added he hoped the new premises would attract many more people to take up bowls.
After cutting a ribbon stretched across part of the entrance to the club, Sir Robert rolled the first official jack down the No.1 green then bowled the first wood, his shot coming to rest within striking distance of the jack.
Telegrams of good wishes for the club’s future were received from the Fiji Bowling Association and the Ba, Levuka and Tamavua bowling clubs before Bruce Southwick, upon whose shoulders had fallen the task of supervising the construction of the new premises from its blueprint days, introduced the Mayor of Suva, Cr Len Usher.
Cr Usher spoke of his happiness that the new premises were, at last, established.
He said the new greens were laid on land reclaimed by the Suva City Council (SCC) with the aid of a sand pump. He added the club had been a great attraction to overseas bowlers for many years and an asset to the City of Suva.
“It would continue to be so.”
Club president John Connell thanked all concerned with the construction, decoration and other preparations for the new premises.
He expressed particular thanks to the SCC and city engineer Cecil Bradnam “for the greens that we have today”.
“The project had begun in 1967when it became known the club would have to relinquish its quarters behind the Carnegie Library, occupied since the Suva Bowling Club’s opening in 1925,” Mr Connell said.
