Ballina Croquet Club’s plea for help
Ballina Croquet Club is seeking urgent support from the local community.
“Our members contribute across our community in the service of our community including Meals on Wheels, church activities, Coast Guard, Probus, U3A, community transport, etc. etc. etc,” clubpresident Mary Hughes said.
“We now need your help! Have you any suggestions on how to fight this injustice?”
Mary outlined the club’s dilemma:
“Ballina Croquet Club (incorporated as Croquet Club Ballina) is a thriving, successful, independent and autonomous Croquet Club with 75 members which plays its mallet sports on lawns on Crown Land in the Hampton Park-Clement Park Reserve Ballina NSW.
“The Croquet Club has sought to obtain another Crown lease of the croquet lawns and clubhouse but at a meeting of the Hampton Park Reserve Trust Managers (Ballina Shire Council) on 25 August 2009, the Croquet Club request for the lease was rejected by the Managers who resolved to award the lease to a commercial concern – the Ballina Bowling and Recreation Club Ltd (Club Ltd).
“Despite the resolution to award the lease to Club Ltd, Ballina Shire Council has demanded business rates from the Croquet Club in the sum of $1523.56.
“The Croquet Club has paid the first instalment of $470.56, but has asked for reimbursement of the whole amount, as a community group single sporting club occupying Crown land.
“This request has been denied by the Ballina Shire Council with the claim that the levy of the full business rate is unalterable.
“The Croquet Club finds the Council attitude and claim surprising in the light of the fact that the Ballina Tennis Club, another community group single sporting club which also occupies another portion of Crown land within the Hampton Park-Clement Park Reserve, does not pay rates.
“Ballina Croquet Club has not paid rates since our establishment within Hampton Park-Clement Park Reserve in 1936.
“As Croquet Club Ballina Inc. is expected to pay the commercial rates as the notice is in our club’s name, then we are entitled to have the lease in our name.
“The Department of Lands has to approve the lease. This has not been completed as yet. Time is our enemy.
“Letter received from Council, 9.9.09 stated that our croquet clubhouse would be used by other community groups e.g Bowling Club Staff and Administration.
“As elderly retirees we will not be afforded the security, safety coupled with sole use of a clubhouse after many years of going without.
“Our personal items and equipment will not be secure.
“All members pay $26 per year for the clubhouse to be cleaned, as many have either home help or are in retirement homes etc.
“The age of our members is primarily in their 60s and 70s. Our members have waited 22 1/2 years for the Bowling Club to replace what they took – a clubhouse (built by members), a replacement club room and ultimately a garden shed (still visible) and two full-size lawns.
“For 22 1/2 years our members played on two three-quarter lawns in order to support the Bowling Club Expansion.
“Our lawn areas are not even secured for our usage. Although promised on the 25th August 2009 at a Reserve Trust Meeting – that our RIGHTS WOULD BE PROTECTED. This is far from the truth.
“There is some Councillor support, particularly from Sue Meehan and Jeff Johnson, but the pressure from ‘business’ over ‘community’ is huge.
“Some other Councillors have offered measured support.
“Questions to Shire Council staff remain unanswered as do facts from the Bowling Club. The strategy appears one of ‘don’t answer’, ‘delay’ and ‘old people’ will give up!
“Please help us.”
Contact: Mary Hughes, 0412 457 369, PO Box 7055 East Ballina 2478. maryph4@bigpond.com
