Roselawn Bowling Club receives Trillium funding

RoselawnBowlingClub MPPRickByers

The Owen Sound Roselawn Bowling Club has received grant funding through the Ontario Trillium Foundation’s Resilient Communities Fund. The Resilient Communities fund supports the recovery efforts of organizations impacted by COVID-19 and helps them respond with immediate, medium, and longer-term recovery projects.

Roselawn received more than $75,000 after applying for the grant in December 2021. The funding will allow the club to make substantial upgrades and improvements to the clubhouse including installing a heat pump and air filters, and renovating the kitchen and bathroom at the north end of the building. Some of the work has already taken place and the larger renovations will be completed before the Spring. The club made the announcement with MPP Rick Byers at the start of the club’s year end tournament on September 17th.

“I am very pleased that Roselawn was successful in its application with the Ontario Trillium Foundation to fund important work on its facilities. The Club plays a very important role in the community offering many indoor and outdoor activities” said MPP Rick Byers, Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound.

“We’re very grateful to have received this funding through the Ontario Trillium Foundation” said Roselawn board member and grant writer Jon Farmer. “These upgrades are going to help us improve the functionality and comfort of our club house so we can more comfortably host folks and make the space available to the community”.

The pandemic had a profound effect on the member driven club. Roselawn was unable to open in 2020. In 2021, the club opened for play but with social distancing and without the regular socialising that follows games. Normally, members can drop in on Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday nights for regular bowling as well as on Wednesday mornings.

According to Farmer, the 2022 season saw a return to the club’s pre-pandemic normal with game play and socialising.

“We were able to build back our membership numbers and engage new players with the game this year. We’re hopeful that with these renovations, we’ll get back to our pre-pandemic card events and indoor socials as well”.

Lawn bowling itself is played on grass and is like a cross between curling and bocci ball. Players roll bowls down the green in an arc and score points by being closest to the small white ball called a ‘Jack’. Roselawn provides all the necessary equipment and the club encourages visitors to drop in and try the game. The season runs from the Victoria Day Weekend to October, weather permitting. The club first opened in 1920. For more information about Roselawn visit www.roselawnbowlingclub.com/

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) mission is to build healthy and vibrant communities across Ontario. As an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations, last year, OTF invested nearly $209M into 2,042 community projects and partnerships, which included funding for the Government of Ontario’s Community Building Fund. Since 2020, OTF has supported Ontario’s economic recovery by helping non-profit organizations rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19. Visit otf.ca to learn more.

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