Plans to build new centre in Goulburn

[Loose Cannon]

The good old days ... action from the old bowling alley in Sloane Street.

http://www.goulburnpost.com.au/story/2015451/bowled-over



THE sight of bowlers wearing funny shoes and skittling 10-pins in Goulburn with a group of friends is long gone.

It’s been 20 years since the city had a 10-pin bowling alley (pictured) but that could change under a plan by local developers.

Wollondilly Retirement Village Pty Ltd, owned by the Geale family, has lodged a development application for a 12-lane alley at 88 Hume St, on the same lot as The Black Sheep Tavern.

Far from being a facility for retirees, the $1.4 million proposal is aimed at a wide cross section. The company is hoping to fill what it sees as strong demand for the facility in the Goulburn community.

The alley would be built to national AMF bowling standards, include a hire office, small café, computer games area, staff office and amenities.

It would employ four people.

Company director Rohan Geale declined to elaborate on the plan until Goulburn Mulwaree Council had made a decision. However he told the Post it was a joint venture with another party which approached the company to build the facility.

It involves demolition of an existing office building and construction of a 20-space car park. Another 29 car parking spaces attached to the tavern would also be available.

The alley would be open 9am to 9.30pm on weekdays, 9am to 11pm Saturdays and 9am to 9.30pm on Sundays and public holidays.

It would sit in the B6 enterprise corridor, designed to encourage a range of mixed uses generally not suited to the CBD.

The bowling alley would also sit on a 2942 square metre block.

The developments would add to a range of Geale family businesses in the area, including space leased for a 24-hour gym. Last June, an associated family company, Wollondilly Constructions lodged a DA for the clinic. Valued at $865,000, the ‘Goulburn South Veterinary Hospital,’ with access from Robinson St was estimated to employ six fulltime staff.

The bowling alley DA is on public exhibition until January 25 and can be viewed online or on request at Council reception in Bourke St.

Development control manager Richard Davies said the proposal was permissible in the zone but it was “early days” in terms of assessment.

So far Council has received one public submission, raising several concerns.

The application was likely to go to the March council meeting, Mr Davies said.

Meantime, the co-owner of the building that once housed Goulburn’s bowling alley in Sloane St said he wouldn’t mind seeing another facility in Goulburn.

“As long as I don’t have to run it,” Pat Delaney quipped.

The Delaney family operated the alley out of the former Goulburn Furniture Warehouse near the corner of Sloane St and Blackshaw Road.

He revealed that a Victorian firm wanted to use the building for a bowling alley but on investigation, found it to be unsuitable.

Another party proposed to demolish the structure and build a motel but heritage controls prevented them from doing so. They have since taken their plans elsewhere.

“Heritage is killing the town,” Mr Delaney said.

“Once you mention that it is a heritage building to anyone, they get cold real quick.”

The 3000 square metre space has been on the market for two years, following the Warehouse’s shift to new premises in Clinton St.

The family has instructed agent Peter Mylonas to put the Sloane St building to auction in March or April.

 

[GeorgeF]

I hope they proceed with it, its always good to see people investing in the sport and seeing value in building a new facility. Alot better than the usual 'another bowl closes' threads. Good luck to all parties involved.

 

[Loose Cannon]

Bowling alley given the green light

http://www.goulburnpost.com.au/story/3005373/bowling-alley-given-the-green-light/?cs=181

IT’S been some 20 years since a bowling alley operated in the city.

But, come the end of the year, those who used to frequent the facility will be able to take their own children for a round of ten-pin.

Local developers Wollondilly Constructions have again been given the green light to proceed with the development of the Hume Lifestyle Precinct, a facility set to house a 12-lane bowling alley and neighbouring retail outlets.

Council approved the modified DA without discussion during last Tuesday’s meeting, taking into account changes made to an original application submitted in January, 2014.

Modified plans comprised internal layout alterations, the combining of Units A and B to house the bowling facility and alterations to the facade.

Proponent Rohan Geale (of Ranger Geale Holdings) told the Post he expected to begin work on the Hume St site in the coming four weeks, and aimed to have everything up and running by December.

“We didn’t have any dramas with the application and didn’t think there was going to be any problems so now we will be moving ahead as normal and hope to have it done by the end of the year,” Mr Geale said.

He believed he had successfully addressed concern from two written submissions, namely in regards to noise, hours of operation and security.

Further Mr Geale said interest in the neighbouring retail outlets had been encouraging, with a mixture of new and existing local and out-of-town businesses registering interest.


“I firmly believe that the proposed bowling alley will create a long lasting business that the people of Goulburn and surrounds can find to be a safe and inviting place for families, children and individuals to enjoy tenpin bowling,” Mr Geale wrote to Council.

To minimise noise, the unit will be constructed of double brick and will have sound proof insulation and ceiling panels to help eliminate noise. Having lanes facing the rear of the unit will also help to mitigate noise away from surrounding residences towards the industrial and commercial uses that are at the rear.

Initial concern about proximity to the Black Sheep Tavern have also been addressed, with plans modified for the facility to have its own car park within the existing site. It will share no other affiliation with the Tavern other than being a neighbour.

Operating hours have been confirmed as Monday to Wednesdays 9am to 9pm, Thursdays and Fridays 9am to 10pm, Saturday 9am to 10pm, Sundays and public holidays 9am to 7pm.

The bowling alley will be built in line with national bowling standards and include a hire office, small café, computer games area, staff office and amenities.

 

[Loose Cannon]

It got me thinking, how many places out there have had bowling centres closed in their area only to re open or rebuild years later ?, obviously in this thread Goulburn is one, Wagga was another and old Astro lanes in Campbelltown closed then the new one at Leumeah opened up. Any others ?

 

[Troyza]

This is really good.

 

[Roysa]

I hope they learn to spell before they build the "precinct"

 

[willey]

Loose Cannon, Griffith had a Centre built in the 80's only to close due to lack of Business, than a new one built in a different area. The old Northern Bowl closed for many years before it was re-built in the same building in the Illawarra area, now closed again. As for Astro Lanes in Campbelltown, the building is still standing ( I went past today ) and from my limited memory the land was given to the partners of the Centre, by the Council, because they wanted a Bowl built. As for closing, McCarther Bowl was Built before that happened and it was very close to Campbelltown, which I believe was built by one of the Ex partners as Payback (it's a long story).

Bennetts Green in Newcastle was hurt badly because of Warners Bay being built too close, it had to close because of lack of business. Of course AMF had given up on Australia at that time and all they wanted to do was sell the Bowling Centres, so it was bad timing for Bennetts as it did not try to compete with Warners on prices, the US bosses cut out all discounting so they would be able to show a Premium price per Game average, purely for sales purposes. At the time of selling Bennetts was doing 11 Linage, it was Auctioned off and Bing Lee brought the Building, even though Terry Maher tried to negotiate with AMF to buy it but they were $300 thousand short. What is worse there was a Road By-Pass put through Newcastle which would have put many more Suburbs within 5-10 mins from the Centre.

Fairfield Bowl was closed by the Australian AMF and re-built at Chester Hill, than the old Centre was fitted out to become a Bowling Centre again, the same happened to Enfield Bowl on the Hume Highway. The old Parramatta Bowl on George st was closed and re-built in Harris Park, since closed, car parking was non existent, I'm sure they had Armed Guards on the car park, the same thing Fairfield was short of. The old Faifield had a small car park on the side of the building and a huge car park in the front of the Bowl which could probably hold 300 cars but it was Council owned, AMF approaced the Council about the future of that car park and they had a reassurance that all was well for many years, so they built the Centre over their little car park to create a 34 lane Centre, only for not too many years later an bridge was built over the Railway Line into the Council car park thus writing off 300 car spaces, there went the Business.

I worked in most of these Centres mentioned and I was offered the Managers job at the original Griffith Bowl but I told them I thought there was not enough people in the area to support the Centre. So that's just the Centre's I know about, I'm sure there are a lot more story's out there.

willey

 

[Loose Cannon]

Shellharbour bowl is another centre which comes to mind, closed in 2003 after strikezone Albion park opened, it lay dormant for many years then it Re opened in the same location approximately 5 years ago. Whispers in bowling circles tell me that the new centre to be built in Goulburn will be a Kingpin run centre.

 

[Roysa]

Kingpin hey... Well atleast they will save money on lighting.

 

[CT]

And oil

 

[Troyza]

Actually it would be more expensive as they'd have event lighting running all day.

 

[Geoff300]

Wagga Wagga is another example. It was a very good Centre with a huge business in the 70's and 80's but it died and closed. A new genre opened a couple of years ago. Sylvania Bowl in Sydney closed down and reopened as Southgate in the early 80's i think. for some years it was a Huge lineage Centre only to be completely stuffed up by various poor AMF decisions. Chester Hill was a very nice small Centre which closed a few years ago and reopened as Tenpin city at Lidcombe

 

[Geoff300]

I actually owned Goulburn Bowl for a few years from 1986. It was a great little Centre, we had a lot of fun in those days. Sadly we had to sell out in 1989 and the new owners faced issues that caused its eventual closure in approx 1992

 

[willey]

Amf bought many Centres and stuffed them, I know of 3, 60 linage Centres, they bought and stuffed, namely Kedron Bowl, McCarther Bowl and The Hyperbowl in Queensland.

willey