Figtree Sports are committed to being involved in hosting the South Pacific Carnival this December providing COVID restrictions are eased and the club has sufficient time to prepare for the biggest annual event in the region.
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Figtree Sports missed out on being headquarters for last year's Carnival due to COVID; leaving the event to be cancelled for the first time in its history, which dates back to 1960.
The worrying spread of the virus in recent months has meant bowling clubs in the Wollongong LGA, which includes Figtree Sports, have been shut since June 26 with no definite timetable for their reopening.
Illawarra Zone 16 are keen for the iconic South Pacific Carnival to proceed this December if at all possible, and have been in talks with Figtree Sports about taking a leadership role as headquarters.
Figtree Sports general manager Paul Mack said the preference for his club would be to cancel this year's carnival and his club to host the event in 2022, but if Zone 16 wanted the club to be involved this year they would work hard to ensure the Carnival went ahead.
''From our viewpoint we need enough time to prepare the greens, get our greens staff back on the job and get the club ready to host a major event like the South Pacific,'' Mack said.
''We'd want a final decision on whether it went ahead by mid-to late October. That's not a long time from now and with everything happening around the virus from a Government regulatory perspective, the restrictions in place and the fact that our club is not even open yet, there's a lot to work through in a short space of time.''
Mack said if bowling clubs like Figtree Sports were allowed to reopen under the model of the one person per four square metre rule then that would be viable for most normal bowls operations but make it difficult to host the South Pacific Carnival.
''If we were looking like something like 340 people maximum inside and outside the club and we were hosting the Fours then it'd mean something like only 120 people being allowed inside the club house which is not viable,'' Mack said.
But Mack stressed that if Zone 16 wanted the event to go ahead his club would do everything possible to make it possible.
Just getting the biggest annual bowls event up and running over the traditionally quiet Christmas-New Year period would be a huge bonus for bowlers across the region; most of whom have not played bowls since the end of June.
''I know everyone is missing their bowls so having a South Pacific would be very welcome. It would be a massive accomplishment to have it and if we can, we will play our part,'' Mack said.
Meanwhile, Mack confirmed his club was keen to host more interstate and top bowls events after unfortunately having the Open and Under 25s Test Series between NSW and Victoria in August called off due to COVID.
The club has the backing of Bowls NSW Ltd to bring the best bowls to the region, with Destination Wollongong also keen to get involved in promoting an interstate series clash in hopefully 2022.
For the second straight year Figtree also had to cancel its marquee event, the Greg Thurling Memorial, which in just a short time has gained a reputation as one of the best club events in NSW, attracting top bowlers chasing big prizemoney and National ranking points.
Figtree Sports has approximately 340 members and is among the most progressive clubs in Zone 16. They have been very competitive in Zone pennants and championships in recent years and won the Zone Senior Fours and Zone Senior Pairs in 2021, while the Women's club claimed the District Triples and Grade 4 Pennant flag this year.
