Grounds at Willow Bank
Background to grounds at Willow Bank
The club moved to its current site in 1895-96 as a result of the Glasgow Act (1891) and now occupies Plot "E" of the former Dowanhill Estate in the heart of Glasgow's West end. The land was purchased from the estate by means of share issue between 1885 and 1893. The majority of shares are now held in trust for the members through the creation of the Willow Bank Bowling Club Limited.
The grounds are split in to five main areas which I will define as :
- The Upper Green
- The Lower Green
- The North Triangle
- Ladies Gardens
- Lower Triangle
Ladies Gardens
These are small flower beds which are sited at Dowanhill Road adjacent to the clubhouse, and border the main site entrance.
Greens at Dowanhill
There are two greens at Dowanhill, the upper and lower green. The lower green was used by novice players who were not permitted to use the upper green until they passed their probation (won a competition).
Lower Green
The lower green lies adjacent to the upper green but is only 3 rinks wide. The committee of Management made the decision to suspend its maintenance as a bowling green after the 150th club anniversary 1n 1985.
During the intervening period, the area was contaminated with glass, metal and other construction waste however it is currently undergoing restoration to recover and re-grass the area for outdoor activities. The plans include the creation of sheltered seating areas at the treeline.
North Triangle
This area is sited at the north of the green and includes our flagpole, seating shelters, small flower beds and the most recent improvement - the introduction of small allotment beds.The area is dominated by the numerous rhododendron bushes which are in urgent need of management.
The 2014 winter programme included clearing the area around the whitebeam tree to create space for raised beds. This effort involved the removal of Laurel and roots.
Lower Triangle
The lower triangle is now used as a working area for the grounds maintenance. This includes storage areas for composting, leaf mold, waste wood and grass cuttings from bowling green.
The gardens and green produce approximately 70,000 litres of organic waste during the playing season. This is supplemented by 8,000 litres of leaf mold lifted from the streets around the club during the Autumn. The annual cost of this process is currently under £50.00.
The end products are :
- 60 bags of high quality compost for re-use within grounds.
- 60 bags of leaf mold for soil regeneration.
- Disposal of 60 bags of wood waste for kindling.
Grounds Maintenance costs.
| Item | Cost | Frequncy |
|---|---|---|
| Tree Management | £750.00 | Annual |
| Petrol Strimmer | £130.00 | Annual |
| Petrol | £50.00 | Annual |
| Frames and Pallets | £15.00 | Annual |
| Compost Maker | £23.00 | Annual |
These costs do not include the sundry items which the garden team currently donate in order to complete their tasks. This includes garden tools and accessories, seed or flower purchases and of course - their extensive effort and time.
During the period Sept 15 - Dec 15 the two grounds members contributed over 400 hours to the club grounds and local area. If you would like to support the garden team, either by donating your time or other resources, please contact the Grounds Manager, Email Grounds Manager