The Weyburn Short Mat Bowling Club has had a successful first season to get established, and the members decided to continue until Thursday, April 9, before winding down for the season.
Vic Plante was the main organizer as the club was established over the winter, and noted the club now has 26 members as of Thursday. The club is set up in the space formerly used by the Weyburn Gymnastics Club at the City Centre Mall.
He asked for a three-person advisory committee to be set up to help him run the club going forward, so he isn’t the only one running things, and suggested if they were able to gain more members, they would be able to reduce the rental fee.
Plante is also applying for grants from different organizations, such as through the Weyburn Credit Union, which would help the club buy their own mats and bowls and help reduce the costs to operate the club.
The Weyburn club borrowed mats from the provincial indoor bowling association, which is free for the club’s first year, and rented several sets of bowls from the Regina club. Plante is hoping if some grants come in, they will be able to purchase some of this equipment. If no grants are provided, then the club will need to start paying rent for the mats.
The club has had about 72 per cent turnout so far of their members, which Plante said is a really good rate of involvement for their first year.
Some members asked if evening bowling times might become available, and Plante said he was willing to come and open the space for evenings to try it out. They decided to try out March 17 and 19, at 7 p.m. each evening, to see if there is enough interest.
The evening times won’t add to the rental costs, as the mall rents the space to the club on a daily basis, said Plante.
The agreed-upon date of April 9 can be extended also if there is a demand for it, added Plante, who said he would take it day-by-day. The club would need about 12 bowlers attend in order to break even on the rental cost for the space for a day.
“We’ll do whatever the demand is for,” said Plante. “If we can get some grants, that will reduce the costs next year.”
