Mojácar Town Council to fund the renewal of the municipal lawn bowls green

Mayor Francisco García Cerdá has committed to covering the cost of installing a suitable playing surface through a direct grant to the club.

Mojácar Town Council, Mojácar Bowls Club and the Andalusian Bowling Federation have reached an agreement to replace the surface of the municipal bowling green, a Council-owned facility made available to the club for its sporting activities. This commitment will allow a specialist lawn bowls surface to be installed and restore a facility of considerable sporting, social and tourism importance to the town.

Mojácar Town Hall hosted a meeting on Thursday, 20 August to discuss the condition of the municipal lawn bowls green and find a permanent solution to the problems caused by the surface fitted during the most recent work.

The meeting was attended by the Mayor of Mojácar, Francisco García Cerdá; the Councillor for Sport, Jesús Antonio Montoya Gredilla; the President of the Andalusian Bowling Federation, José Miguel Nieto Ojeda; FAB board member Maureen Hanratty; Mojácar Bowls Club Secretary Sarah Didcote; and the club’s Vice-President, Christopher Morgan.

The meeting took place in a spirit of cooperation and mutual understanding. Both the Mayor and the Councillor for Sport were already fully aware of the situation and recognised the need to replace the current surface. All parties therefore agreed from the outset on the importance of finding a suitable solution.

The previous day, FAB representatives had visited the facilities with members of the club to inspect the material and carry out a number of playing tests. These showed that the installed surface — a short-pile artificial turf — affects the normal behaviour of the bowls and is unsuitable for lawn bowls.

The Mayor committed to covering the cost of the new installation through a direct grant to Mojácar Bowls Club, which uses the Council-owned facilities for its activities. This arrangement will allow the club to appoint a specialist contractor and select a system specifically designed for lawn bowls, comprising a suitable playing surface and underlay.

The Andalusian Bowling Federation will continue to work with the club and the Town Council throughout the process, providing the technical advice required to select the correct materials and ensure that the new installation meets the sporting requirements of the discipline.

The agreed solution will pave the way for the green to reopen and for Mojácar Bowls Club to resume its usual activities, including practice sessions, social bowls, Federation competitions and visits from teams based elsewhere.

The FAB greatly appreciates the constructive approach shown by the Mayor and the Councillor for Sport, together with the perseverance of Mojácar Bowls Club throughout the process. The agreement between the three parties opens the way for Mojácar once again to have a suitable playing surface and to remain one of the leading centres for lawn bowls in Andalusia.

Photograph: From left to right: Sarah Didcote, Secretary of Mojácar Bowls Club; Christopher Morgan, Vice-President of the club; Maureen Hanratty, board member of the Andalusian Bowling Federation; Francisco García Cerdá, Mayor of Mojácar; José Miguel Nieto Ojeda, President of the FAB; and Jesús Antonio Montoya Gredilla, Councillor for Sport.