THE BEGA RSL has set itself up for a bright and secure future after finalising its deal with Woolworths.
Club president John Rood said the club has received payment of $5 million for its building as well as a 1600 square metre stratum in the new development and 64 car spaces.
When developed, the stratum will provide the club with long-term passive income and will allow the club to reduce its dependency on poker machines for its financial future.
“This is a really exciting time for the club,” Mr Rood said when announcing the conclusion of the extensive negotiations.
“This has given the club a really secure future and its members and guests will have newer, modern facilities.”
The RSL has amalgamated with the Bega Bowling Club in Gipps Street and will redevelop the site over the next six months to become Club Bega.
Mr Rood said local builder G J Sherlock has been appointed to carry out the renovations and will begin work next week with completion expected in March next year.
The club in Auckland Street will close its doors on September 20 with all equipment and fittings removed at that time and either used at the Bega Country Club at Tarraganda, which the club owns, or sold at a clearing sale on October 9.
Some of the club’s poker machines will be relocated to the country club.
The bowls clubhouse in Gipps Street will close on August 30, however, bowls will continue as usual with the old bowls clubhouse attached to the top green being used.
The bowling club has planned celebrations tonight.
Once everything is completed, Mr Rood said Bega will then have one club owned by the people of the town.
“We will have two first class venues with great social amenities and sports facilities,” he said.
“Importantly, this one club is an amalgamation of three clubs all with proud histories, all of which will be recorded and made available so they are not forgotten.”
Club manager Peter Lynch was also enthusiastic about the club’s future.
“Things have been tough for clubs everywhere with government regulations, taxes and the like,” he said.
“And we have been no exception to that, but we have taken the club from savage losses to a profit and with this development the future is very good.
“We have restructured the business and, although it will be a smaller club, it will still be something that members and the community can be proud of and enjoy.”
Mr Lynch said the stratum as well as the club’s new structure would give the board options for future developments from a secure financial base.
“There have already been expressions of interest for the stratum so we are well-placed to take advantage of the deal we made with the Woolworths developers.”
Mr Rood said the board and management understood there would be inconvenience for people during the redevelopment but asked for members’ support.
“This is terrific for all the members but it will need everyone’s support to get the most from it,” he said.
“While there will be inconvenience for a while at the end if it all there will be a wonderful facility that we can all be proud of.”
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