Welcome to Stanley Park Lawn Bowling Club. For many years our members have volunteered to make ours the vibrant club it is today. We follow in the footsteps of past members by continuing their tradition of volunteering, respecting one another and enjoying the game of lawn bowls.
It is no accident that Stanley Park Lawn Bowling Club has the distinction of being Canada’s largest lawn bowling club. We have achieved this by valuing all our members, and by welcoming new members regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and ability.
While COVID-19 has had a devastating impact the pandemic has also given rise to examples of selfless, caring individuals such as those at Stanley Park Lawn Bowling Club. Using COVID restrictions, members developed protocols and volunteered countless hours, individually and/or on teams, to maintain programs and services for our bowling and social members throughout the off season as well as during bowling season.
We look forward to restrictions being lifted which will enable us to introduce new members to a vital part of our lawn bowling club, namely social events. Friday afternoon barbecues followed by Aussie Pairs, Pride parties, Bridge and Euchre are just a few examples. You are in for a treat! And by the way, please wear your name tag. It makes it a lot easier to converse with others.
In 2015, the club’s Executive strongly endorsed a proposal to initiate a league for LGBTQ members. This simple act of inclusion resulted in a membership explosion. The Blue Heron League for LGBTQ members on Thursday evenings is a popular league at the club and is open to all bowling members. One of the most enjoyable social/bowling events of the year takes place at our annual Pride party in July, open to everyone. This year’s party is scheduled for July 29.
The City of Vancouver was founded on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations. In 2017, when Stanley Park Lawn Bowling Club celebrated its 100th Anniversary we were honoured to have Chief Wayne Sparrow of the Squamish Nation address the gathering at the Opening Ceremony. Along with representatives from the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation, representatives from all three First Nations participated with club members in a friendly lawn bowling game following the ceremony.
It was only fitting that on June 3, 2021, during the Pride Opening Ceremony we publicly announced our sincere condolences to Chief Rosanne Casimir of the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nations, to the Indigenous community and to the many families hurt by the Kamloops Residential School and all residential schools. This announcement was followed by hoisting both the Canadian flag and the Pride flag to half-mast. The flags remained in this position for 215 hours in honour of the 215 children whose remains were found at Kamloops Residential School.
Ten members of our club are part of the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign. The West End Gogos support African grandmothers in fifteen sub-Saharan African countries where grandmothers raise their grandchildren whose parents have died from the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Many club members take part in and donate to their annual fundraiser.
Lawn bowlers who visit our club frequently pause to admire the beautiful surroundings including the colourful gardens carefully manicured by club volunteers. These gardens add to the ambience of our games and while lawn bowling is highly competitive the gardens unintentionally remind us to be respectful of each other as we strive to play fairly and to be good sports whether we lose or win.
At Stanley Park Lawn Bowling Club we strive to include and value members of differing abilities and ages. We encourage all bowlers to be sensitive to others while doing their best to accommodate those who have ability challenges. Our club appreciates members who have initiated a short jack league in order to cater to bowlers challenged by a long jack.
The endless hours of fun on and off the greens carry over to the fact that many of us have made and continue to make new and sometimes lasting friendships. We look forward to meeting new members and welcoming them in person to Stanley Park Lawn Bowling Club.
Our Club Values are summarized here on our website.
Trevor Ludski
Special thanks to Mary Ann Gillies for collaborating with Trevor on this article and to Chris Chapman and Lynn Kennedy for providing information.
