INDEPENDENT NEWS

Lawn Bowls Strikes Gold in Land Sale

Published: Sat 9 Aug 2014 11:00 AM
Media Release
11.8.2014
Lawn Bowls Strikes Gold in Land Sale
Rawhiti Bowling Club in the heart of the Auckland suburb of Remuera has been sold by tender to an investment company with plans to develop an upmarket retirement village on the site.
In an email letter to Rawhiti Bowling Club members this week, club president Rod College has announced the sale of the club for $8.1 million to New Zealand company BeGroup Ltd.
One of BeGroup’s directors and chief executive officer is Remuera resident Guy Eady who has worked in the retirement industry for the past 25 years, and has served on the boards of healthcare services provider Oceania Group, aged care provider Metlifecare, the New Zealand Aged Care Association, and the Retirement Villages Association.
Mr College described the sale price as “outstanding”. Proceeds from the sale will go to support the sport of bowls in Auckland. Many of the club’s chattels - including the outdoor benches and drinking fountains - are being donated to other bowling clubs.
“Selling up was the right thing to do. The club had a great run for 100 years, but the reality is that our membership has been declining since the 1990s. In the best interest of the sport, it is better to bolster the membership numbers at other nearby clubs,” he said.
The 5954sqm property, on a corner block of Rangitoto Ave, Rakau Street and Ara Street, has current Auckland Council resource consent for up to nine dwellings, and is surrounded by some of the country’s finest real estate. Mr Eady has a strong affiliation with the suburb - growing up just a few hundred metres away from Rawhiti Bowling Club in Ranui Road.
Mr Eady said BeGroup’s vision for the site was to develop high quality dwellings allowing retirees - many of whom he expected would come from within the greater Remuera vicinity - to live in homes more suited to their personal needs and changing life circumstances.
“BeGroup is developing a network of affordable and modern retirement villages with a full range of care options – placing particular emphasis on building strong ties to the local community and helping residents enjoy life to the fullest possible extent,” he said.
“The bowling club site provides us with an excellent opportunity for building those ties through a strong sense of community in this part of Remuera.”
Bayleys Remuera salesperson David Rainbow, who negotiated the sale, said the land offering had attracted an unprecedented amount of interest – with some 23 tenders received.
Caption: Sold to the highest bidder - Rawhiti Bowling Club vice president Jim Mclean, left, and president Rod College roll out the final chapter of the century-old sporting institution.
ENDS

Next in Business, Science, and Tech

General Practices Begin Issuing Clause 14 Notices In Relation To The NZNO Primary Practice Pay Equity Claim
By: Genpro
Global Screen Industry Unites For Streaming Platform Regulation And Intellectual Property Protections
By: SPADA
View as: DESKTOP | MOBILE © Scoop Media