100 years of bowling celebrated in park

Date published: 10/07/2008

Rochdale’s oldest park is celebrating a hundred years of crown green bowling.

The large green in Broadfield Park was 100 years old on Tuesday 1 July 2008 and Rochdale Council is marking the event with a plea for more people to come along and use the facility to ensure that the sport continues among future generations.

Rochdale Council and the bowlers are very proud of the high standard of maintenance over the past 33 years, which is thanks to Steven Kenyon, Broadfield Park’s Green Keeper said John Brierley, Parks Supervisor.

“I’d like to congratulate Steven for his dedication, keeping the area looking immaculate for over three decades.”

Councillor Wera Hobhouse, cabinet member for environment and sustainability said “We’re keen to encourage younger people as well as people from multi-cultural community groups to come along and take up crown green bowls and use the park’s facilities.”

Plans are in place to upgrade and repair the bowling pavilions in Broadfield Park when the current bowling season finishes in the autumn, and new footpaths around the green are also due to be created.

Future plans will include reviewing disabled access and facilities within the bowling pavilion. Rochdale Borough Disability Sports and Leisure Forum are already supporting these plans but funding is yet to be secured.

Councillor Hobhouse added: “It’s important that the bowling green gets used – it’s available for the public to use any time as long as it fits around the times that it’s booked out for tournament matches and team practise sessions. Information about the availability can be found on the notice board at the green. “At the moment the club’s mainly made up of veterans, so it’s important that new members are coming through and getting involved.”

For further information on the crown green bowling in Broadfield Park contact Bob Bevan the Park Warden on 07800 672 396.