Where is the Artarmon Bowling Club site located?

    The site is located at 1A Burra Rd, Artarmon and consists of an existing two storey assembly building used for sporting and social purposes, and two bowling greens. The 7,639sqm site is located within the Artarmon Conservation Area.

    What consultation has happened so far?

    In 2015 a review of the Artarmon Reserve Master Plan was undertaken with wide community consultation undertaken. This identified improvement to the quality of open space in Artarmon is required to better meet the community needs and expectations. Key themes included more opportunities for play, a skate ramp, a scooter/bike track, exercise stations, and passive recreation opportunities. 

    On 24 July 2017, a Citizens Panel established to consider future options for the Artarmon Bowling clubhouse building and the cost of upgrading / maintaining the current building and not to include demolition of the building. The panel was also asked to comment on the future use of the Artarmon Bowling Clubhouse building.

    On 23 April 2018, the Citizens Panel was invited to attend a consultation workshop to assist with the renewal of the Artarmon Bowling Club Site: 

    1. The Citizens Panel was asked to comment on the Draft Plan for Artarmon Parklands concerning the land of the former Artarmon Bowling Club.
    2. The Panel was asked to consider Kids Cottage as a community centre.
    3. The Citizens Panel was asked to comment on the renewal of the Artarmon Bowling Clubhouse building.

    The options presented to the panel were;

    • Activation – Option 1
    • Keep Artarmon Bowling Club as it is.
    • Activation – Option 2
    • Refurbish the building as a community facility.
    • Activation – Option 3
    • Replace clubhouse with an outdoor recreation pavilion and accessible amenity block.


    What is the result of the consultation with the panel?

    The recommendations from the Citizens Panel regarding the future use of the Artarmon Bowling Clubhouse building outlined below:

    Principle 1: Needs and uses

    The clubhouse needs to provide versatile space which will allow complementary and efficient uses for the community. This will be achieved by:

    1. Ensuring that the space is accessible to all community members (mobility access)
    2. Ensuring that one user does not impact adversely on other users of the space. The space should be shared by all, with no dominant tenant.
    3. Dividing the Clubhouse into multiple yet flexible spaces -while still maintaining the large open space- to offer versatility, while still providing adequate storage and external access for different spaces and ensuring that amenities (e.g. toilets and kitchen) can be shared by all.

    Principle 2: Low impact

    Respect the legacy of the Clubhouse to create a harmonious, safe environment that respects neighbours, the surrounding bushland, and the community. This should include:

    1. Appropriate/well-managed evening use to ensure the reduced impact on local residents.
    2. Due to the location of the club house (residential area, on a cul-de-sac), parking and traffic impacts need to be managed.

    Principle 3: Financial sustainability

    The Panel recommends that after the initial upgrade of the Clubhouse, which will be paid for by Council, that the facility is run on a sustainable and/or cost-neutral basis. This will ensure that barriers for use by community groups are minimised whilst not creating an ongoing expense for Council. We also propose a differentiated cost model with lower costs for beneficial community uses and non-subsidised costs for private or for-profit uses.

    Principle 4: Community engagement

    The Panel recommends that Council implement a higher level of ongoing community engagement in the future planning, operations and uses of the club.

    The recommendation from the Citizens Panel regarding the renewal of the Artarmon Bowling Clubhouse building outlined below:

    • The panels preferred option was to refurbish the Artarmon Bowling Club Clubhouse as a community facility.

    The panel is supportive of the expanded use of Artarmon Kids Cottage for use as a general purpose community facility. The panel also requested that Council investigate increasing the operating hours of the community facility located at 139 Artarmon Rd, Artarmon.



    Is the former Artarmon Bowling Club suitable as a community facility?

    No, the assessment of the former Artarmon Bowling Club building indicates that the location and current amenity is not suitable as a long-term community facility due to:

    • Access to the site is via Burra Rd, a narrow Road. Traffic from existing use is problematic thus any traffic increase due to increase of use of the facility will require a traffic study.
    • Limited on-site parking - the location has traffic and parking constraints with one road in and one road out. This makes it important that any Council redevelopment does not over intensify the needs of the site.
    • Impact on residential areas due to evening use is high.
    • The sites demographic catchment area located away from away from Artarmon’s high-density housing, where unmet community need is most prominent.
    • The existence of alternate community facilities in Artarmon.

    There is an oversupply of community facilities in Artarmon. Artarmon is serviced by a number of Council provided multipurpose community facilities that are not presently being utilised to their full capacity. Please refer to the Map of Community Facilities for a full list nearby Community facilities and their current capacity use.

    The universal benchmarks for local government provision of community facilities is 1:5,000-15000.  The average benchmark commonly agreed for the provision of community facilities is 2 community facilities for the current (2019) population of 10,276 in Artarmon. The current number and composition of community facilities are also sufficient to meet current needs and to cater expected for population growth to 2036 (10,420).



    What community facilities exist within 2.5 km of Artarmon Bowling Club site?

    Willoughby City Council provides a number of community facilities surrounding the Artarmon area which provide a range of community services:

    • Naremburn Library - community library, meeting rooms, community groups meeting space
    • Northbridge Library - community library, meeting rooms, community groups meeting space
    • Warners Park Centre - general community hire, before and after childcare, bush care
    • Bales Park Pavilion - general community hire
    • Willoughby Park Art & Recreation Centre - offering a variety of art and recreational activities for adults and children
    • Willoughby Men’s Shed
    • Former Northbridge Bowling Club –  proposal underway for future community use

    Below is a list of Council facilities includes libraries and community centres in Artarmon:

    • 139 Artarmon Rd - exercise classes and community general hire
    • Artarmon Kids Cottage Community Centre - children’s activities such as playgroups. On Saturdays, the venue is available for activities related to children with additional needs.
    • Artist Studio - residential artist studio
    • Artarmon Library - community library, meeting rooms, community groups meeting space







    What is the preliminary assessment of alternative locations for a community facility in Artarmon?

    The preliminary assessment of alternative locations for a community facility in Artarmon indicates that Artarmon Kids Cottage Community Centre best meets the criteria developed by the Citizens Panel.

    A demographic comparison of the catchment areas for Artarmon Kids Cottage Community Centre and the Former Artarmon Bowling Club indicates that there is greater; population, housing density and socio-economic need in the catchment area of Artarmon Kids Cottage Community Centre, when compared to the Former Artarmon Bowling Club catchment area.

    What is the future use of the precinct?

    The focus for the precinct is for outdoor recreation. A draft master plan for the Artarmon Parklands aims to meet the Artarmon Reserve Management Plan objectives; 

    • To provide a sports field and specialised outdoor recreational facilities in a bush park setting.
    • Be a district park for the people of Artarmon and Naremburn, where the community may enjoy a range of outdoor activities.


    What is the most suitable activation option for the current community use of the Artarmon Bowling Club?

    • The incorporation in the Artarmon Parklands Masterplan of covered outdoor space for exercise activities.
    • Improvements to the Norm Brooks Pavilion located on Artarmon Reserve 

    An outdoor Pavilion could be considered which includes:

    • Toilet facilities/Amenity Block
    • Outdoor kitchen with BBQs and sinks
    • All weather shelter
    • Picnic tables
    • Outdoor exercise classes
    • Public meeting space
    • Children’s birthdays
    • Outdoor concert
    • Market