Dalgety Bay bowled over by Lottery Funding

Thursday 7 July 2005

The people of Dalgety Bay will be celebrating this weekend as the brand new Dalgety Bay Bowling Club officially opens on Saturday (9 July), widening sporting opportunities for the community.

Supported by an award of £200,000 from sportscotlands Lottery funded Sports Facilities Programme, the new facilities include an outdoor bowling green, modern clubhouse and car parking facilities. Additional funding for the project was received from Fife Environmental Trust (£44,813), Foundation for Sports and Arts (£28,017) and Fife Council (£26,000) as well as funds from local fundraising and donations from members and other clubs.

Bill Hutcheson, President of Dalgety Bay Bowling Club, began his campaign for the development of a bowling club back in 1995. After placing notices in local shops and newspapers in Dalgety Bay to gauge interest in establishing a bowling club in the area, a public meeting was held and Dalgety Bay Bowling Club formed.

Club members travelled extensively across Fife and Lothians to play in friendly invitational matches and club trophy games until it was finally agreed that Dalgety Bay Bowling Club should establish a base of their own.

The new facilities will be available for use by bowlers old and new. The club also hopes to introduce more young people to the sport in the near future, by providing local schools with access to the facilities as part of their PE curriculum, introducing them to the fun and enjoyment the sport can provide and encouraging them to participate on a regular basis.

The club hopes that the new facilities will encourage people of all ages and abilities to participate in the sport, increasing levels of physical activity within the community and ensuring the development of the game in the area.

Bill Hutcheson, President, Dalgety Bay Bowling Club said: At last we have our own home. I am delighted to see my ten year struggle come to fruition.

"It has been a long hard struggle but with the help of my committee and members, past and present and obviously all the funders involved, the 9th of July will bring the project to its culmination.

Stewart Harris, Acting Chief Executive, sportscotland said: We are delighted to have supported the development of Dalgety Bay Bowling Club with an award of £200,000 from sportscotlands Lottery funded Sports Facilities Programme, widening sporting opportunities for the local community.

Quality, accessible facilities are key to introducing people to the fun and enjoyment that sport can provide, encouraging them to take part regularly as part of a healthy, active lifestyle and helping to achieve sportscotlands goal of making more people, across Scotland, more active, more often.

• The official opening of Dalgety Bay Bowling Club will take place on Saturday 9 July at 1pm at Dalgety Bay Bowling Club, Harbour Drive, Dalgety Bay, KY11 9GB.
• The club is affiliated to Dunfermline and West Fife Sports Council.
• You and your representative are invited to attend.

Supporting quotes from other funders:

Eugene Magill, Foundation of Sports and Arts, funded by Littlewoods Pools, said: We are delighted to have assisted in the development of this project and the fact that the community now has a green oasis amongst the houses.

Councillor Bill Kay, Chair, Fife Environment Trust said: "Fife Environment Trust are delighted that our funding has enabled the group to raise almost £350,000 to complete this new amenity which we are sure will be a valuable and much used asset for the local community to enjoy. We applaud the work of the committee for their vision, dedication and commitment.

Colin McPhail, Leader of the Community Council said: We have given the club our full support since its inception. I am pleased to now see that the committee and others have managed to take the project to its culmination.

After all of their hard work, they have brought another sports facility to the town which will assist the community in giving people of all ages from 8-80, a place where they can come to take part in sport.