A Foreword from the Editor

This is a special edition of the club’s newsletter, originally scheduled for October but delayed a couple of weeks to allow fully up to date information on the proposed merger with the North Shore Bridge Club to be compiled.

Roger Parks has prepared a comprehensive summary of the MOU terms applying to the merger that have now been approved by the LRBC Board. Roger’s summary follows his regular report below.

Chairman’s Corner

Bridge Club

I am pleased to announce that the negotiations with the Bridge Club have concluded, and the Board has approved the Memorandum of Understanding to amalgamate our two clubs.

Shortly a date will be announced when an Extraordinary General Meeting will be held for members to vote on the amalgamation.

For more information, please refer to the article below in this newsletter.

Disposal of Property

The proposed amalgamation with the Bridge Club means the need to dispose of club property has disappeared. In fact, should the amalgamation proceed, the club will not be selling any land for at least ten years.

New Members

I would like to welcome Irene Higgins, Don Reade, and Sam Sherif who have joined us in the past few months and Alan Gordon who has re-joined.

I wish them well with their bowling future.

Annual General Meeting

This will be held on Saturday 29 November 2025 at 11:15am.

Roger Parks

Chairman

Lindfield Bowling & Bridge Club – The Story Behind the Amalgamation

Why Are We Proposing to Amalgamate?

The proposed amalgamation between Lindfield Bowling Club and North Shore Bridge Club is about one simple goal — securing the future of both clubs.

By coming together, we can ensure a stronger, more stable future for everyone. Bowlers will gain the benefit of stronger management and financial support, while bridge players will finally have a permanent home — no longer tenants at risk of relocation.

Our new combined club will be proudly known as Lindfield Bowling & Bridge Club — a name that reflects the spirit of unity while preserving each club’s proud traditions.

From a financial point of view, the change is essential. In recent years, the Bridge Club’s rental payments have effectively supported the Bowling Club’s ongoing operations. Without that income, the Bowling Club would face an unsustainable annual loss of around $60,000. Under the amalgamation, rent payments will cease, but the Bridge Club’s profitability will continue to underpin the success of the combined club. Together, we’ll be stronger and more secure than ever.

Membership – What You Need to Know

Membership fees will become simpler and fairer:

Bowling members: $200 annual subscription, plus $20 per game.
Bridge members: $16 per game (no change).
Fee increases are capped — bowling fees can’t be more than 25% higher than bridge fees.

Already a member of both clubs? You’ll roll over seamlessly into the new combined membership at $250 per year, with all your existing rights preserved.

And there’s more good news — members are encouraged to try both activities. Bowlers can play bridge and bridge players can try their hand at bowls, paying only the regular game fee for the extra activity.

What’s Next for Our Facilities

The first project after amalgamation will be a major one — synthetic grass on two bowling greens. This will reduce maintenance, improve playability, and make the greens more sustainable.

Other projects on the horizon include:

Expanding car parking
Upgrading bathroom facilities
Improving the bar and kitchen areas

These improvements will be prioritised and scheduled by the new Board of Lindfield Bowling & Bridge Club, ensuring funds are used wisely and transparently.

Both clubs are financially sound, and outside of normal bills, neither carries any significant debt.

Our Traditions and Activities

All the things that make our clubs special will continue — winning rink prizes, birthday celebrations, carnival days, and the friendly, welcoming culture we’ve built over the years.

Both bowling and bridge will keep hosting tournaments and events as usual, and with shared resources, there’s potential to grow these even further.

Bar hours and catering will continue at current levels, with the new Board exploring ways to enhance services where possible.

How the New Club Will Be Run

In the first two years, our new club will be managed by a seven-person Board — four members from the Bridge Club and three from the Bowling Club. The Chair will come from the bowling community, and the Deputy Chair from the bridge side.

After that, all members will elect the Board, but it must always include at least two representatives from each sub-club to keep things balanced.

Each activity will continue to manage its own operations:

Bowling as Lindfield Rollers Bowling Club
Bridge as North Shore Bridge Club
Both under the umbrella of Lindfield Bowling & Bridge Club.

Staff and Service

All current staff — both permanent and casual — will keep their jobs under the amalgamated club. No redundancies are planned, and service levels are expected to improve with the combined expertise and financial stability of the new structure.

Legal and Compliance Matters

The amalgamation will follow all relevant laws — including the NSW Registered Clubs Act and Corporations Act.

Our existing liquor licence will continue seamlessly under the new name.
And importantly, the new club cannot sell or dispose of any real property for ten years after the amalgamation — giving members complete peace of mind.

Practical Matters and Club Culture

Parking arrangements will remain unchanged, and both clubs’ cultures will be protected and respected.

Our shared motto — “We Are One” — perfectly captures the spirit of what we’re building: unity, collaboration, and shared enjoyment of our activities.

Scheduling will continue as it does now, coordinated by the sub-clubs. Any disruption will be short-term and related only to facility upgrades — all aimed at giving members a better experience in the long run.

Timeline and the Voting Process

Once the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is signed, members will receive at least 21 days’ notice before general meetings are held to vote.

Bowling Club members will vote on the amalgamation, name change, and updates to the constitution. (Requires a 75% majority.)
Bridge Club members will vote on the amalgamation and transfer of assets/members. (Requires a simple majority.)

If you’re a member of both clubs, you can attend both meetings.
Bridge members can vote online or by proxy; Bowling members must vote in person, as required by law.

Once votes are counted, results will be announced at the meetings and shared with all members shortly after.

Managing Risks and Protecting Members

The amalgamation agreement includes clear maintenance standards, monitoring systems, and dispute resolution procedures. The installation of synthetic greens will also help maintain quality and reduce costs.

The only real risk is if the amalgamation does not proceed. Without it, the Bowling Club would face continued financial strain and need to find new volunteers to take on leadership roles. Also, the Club would most likely need to sell a green to meet its future funding needs.

Next Steps – Get Involved

Members are encouraged to stay informed and ask questions.
You can:

Review the MOU (available 21 days before voting)
Speak directly with Board members
Raise questions at the club’s meetings

Together, we can ensure the future success of our new Lindfield Bowling & Bridge Club — stronger, united, and here to stay.

Roger Parks

Chairman

What’s Been Happening?

The big event over the past couple of months, apart from negotiations with the Bridge Club, was the Roseville Shield, which held at our club on September 27th. Eighteen teams from across the region participated on a day of fine weather that coupled with a great spirit of competitive comradery and an excellent lunch to make for a memorable and enjoyable day for all.

The team from Killara emerged as winners on the day, with 31 points and a margin of 18 shots. Their team consisted of P. Brech, T. Hunt, J. Townend and C. Fay.

Asquith and Lindfield Rollers each scored 30 points, but Asquith pipped Lindfield on a countback basis, with a margin of 19 shots versus a margin of 7 shots for the locals.

Asquith’s team consisted of P. Abdallah, C. Burrough, A Thomson and A. Foy, whilst Lindfield’s team included S. Meares, B. Silversides, I. Kimmorley and L. Amos.

Grants Received

Arnold Green has once again been successful in raising funds for our club from government sources.

In September we received a Grant of $11,415.00 from the NSW Government Community Building Partnership. These funds were for the purchase of a new mower and were presented to the club by our local member, Matt Cross. Lindfield Rollers expresses our sincere gratitude to the NSW Government for this very significant financial assistance.

Our greenkeeper, Chris Cash, with his shiny new mower, courtesy of the NSW Government.

We also received recently a Small Equipment Grant of $1,550.00 from Kuring-Gai Council for the purchase of “Lawn Bowls Accessories”. These consisted of laser measuring equipment for umpiring, together with wind direction flags and windsocks, and some new jacks. Again, our thanks to Kuring-Gai Council for this very welcome assistance.

Vale

We have lost a couple of much valued members since the last newsletter.

In August we were all saddened to hear of the sudden passing of Bill Dainton at the age of 89. Bill had been a long-term member of both the Roseville and Lindfield Clubs and only stopped bowling a couple of years ago due to ill health. Bill contributed significantly to the well-being of our club, including being an integral part of the Monday Morning Boys who were responsible for the cleaning and upkeep of the Roseville Club. Bill was also a key contributor to our Seafood Sundays where he was the conduit for arranging the best oysters through a personal contact of his. Even though Bill had stopped bowling he was a regular attendee at our club when he would catch up with his mates. He will be sorely missed.

We were also deeply saddened to hear that that Leo Vilensky has passed away. Leo held the office of Club Chairman at Lindfield Bowling Club prior to Garth Aston, and was instrumental in not allowing the club to be closed and given over to St. Ives

Our thoughts and sympathies go to both the Dainton and Vilensky families.

Uniforms

We have received a limited amount of new club shirts, which means we should now be able to accommodate our needs for some time to come.

Our existing supply of club caps is almost exhausted, but do not despair – new ones are on order from a new supplier. Thanks to Nick Wiener for making this possible.