Bowling News
Schuknecht raising lawn bowling profile
A Chesley teen who last year won both provincial and national honours in lawn bowling, will be recognized for his efforts with a special day in his honour in Chesley in September.
On Sept. 5, the Jacob Schuknecht Lawn Bowling Tournament, an Ontario Lawn Bowling Association sanctioned event, will be held at the Chesley Lawn Bowling Greens.
"Once considered an old person's game, that is certainly changing because of the efforts of people like Hanover's Ryan Bester and now Chesley's Jacob Schuknecht," Doug Walsh, president of the Chesley Lawn Bowling Club told members of Arran-Elderslie council. The Chesley Club has one of the largest memberships of any club in the province, including eight youth under the age of 20.
Jacob is the 16-year-old son of Steve and Barb Schuknecht of Chesley.
Funding rolled out for lawn bowling
The manicured lawn looks like a golf green.
For several years, this 10,000- square-foot plot of land on Regent Street near downtown Niagara- on-the-Lake has been home to lawn bowlers.
Town parks staff spend three days a week here buzzing the grass like it's a military haircut and ensuring the lawn gets enough water to stay green but dry enough for weighted plastic balls to glide.
"( The turf ) is the whole game," said Niagara-on-the- Lake Lawn Bowling Club president John Grieve.
The turf will soon go from au naturel to top-notch faux.
On Tuesday, the federal and provincial governments announced a joint $240,000 to buy a regulation size 14,400-square-foot artificial turf for the Niagara- on-the-Lake Lawn Bowling Club.
The Town of Niagara-on-the- Lake will cover the rest of the $360,000 expense.
In March 2011, the club will move to the grounds of the town's new $7.5-million community centre on Anderson Lane, where the new turf will be installed.
Grieve, 76, said he enjoys playing on natural grass, but likely won't miss it.
Just like in golf, sometimes a ball bounces on the ground and tears out chunks of turf, he said.
Grounds crews use herbicides to keep out weeds, he said.
Along with the costly maintenance regime -- which is absorbed by the town -- natural lawn has ondulations that make it tough to toss a ball consistently, said Grieve, whose club has 63 members.
The artificial turf -- which is recognized by the Canadian Lawn Bowling Association as being certified for tournaments -- will improve play, he said.
The fake grass is so advanced that it can actually be modified to control for optimum lawn ball throwing speed, he said.
"It will take a lot of these variations out of it. It will be more consistent in speed."
Members of the 132-year-old club hope the new location and turf draws more members -- maybe even a few teens for a possible junior club.
The new lawn is also expected to attract major tournaments -- provincial and possibly national -- to Niagara-on-the- Lake, Grieve said.
Niagara Falls MPP Kim Craitor said the money is part of a stimulus program to boost the economy and create jobs.
"Just as importantly, it's about investing into long-term infrastructure projects that will have a real positive effect on the community," said Craitor, who made Tuesday's announcement with Niagara Falls MP Rob Nicholson and Niagara-on-the- Lake Lord Mayor Gary Burroughs.
Niagara-on-the-Lake also received $90,000 from the province and Ottawa to upgrade the Centennial Arena in Virgil.
The town is putting in the rest of the money for the $135,000 project.
The town's projects were among 758 across the province supported by the Recreational Infrastructure Canada program in Ontario and Recreation Ontario.
Yes, I'm in Love with Lawn Bowling
Yes, I’m in Love with Lawn Bowling author On-Kow-Au has made the following offer to Canadian lawn bowling clubs and bowlers.
On-Kow-Au is offering a free copy of her book to all clubs in Canada for the cost of $5.00 to cover shipping & handling. Individuals can also order the book for $10.00 (includes shipping and handling).
Yes, I’m in Love with Lawn Bowling gathers material from interviews with over 30 bowlers. The contents include personal life stories, and covers a wide variety of topics such as: what talents are required; the choice of bowls; various skills in shots and strategies; tactics in singles and team playing; how personality affects bowling; the art of partnership; advice for bowling in different weathers; and funny stories on the greens.
To order your copy please send your address & the cheque made payable to "On-Kow Au" to:
On-Kow-Au
8292 Osler Street
Vancouver, BC
V6P 4E2.
For more information, e-mail: onkow.a@gmail.com
