Lawn Bowling in Elmira

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The Lawn Bowling Club in Elmira was formed around 1925 and was incorporated in April, 1928. Elmira had just become a

town in 1923 and in the early years the recreation side of community life was not neglected. A Waterloo Historical Booklet states that, “The bleak years of the great depression affected prosperity but not the enthusiasm for lawn bowling as people realized the need to carry on with this inexpensive activity.”

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Elmira’s first lawn bowling club house was built by the bowling greens about 1928 on Water St, now named Wyatt St.

In earlier years, the club rooms of the adjacent curling arena had been used by the lawn bowlers.

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In 1971 the Town of Elmira purchased the land on Water St. from the Elmira Lawn Bowling Club for $1.00 to provide senior citizens’ apartments at this location. The club house was donated to the Rovers and moved to the east end of Oriole Parkway. The town agreed to provide land in parklands on Mockingbird Drive and there built a bowling green with 10 rinks according to Ontario Lawn Bowls Association specifications, surrounded by a chain link fence and outdoor lights. 

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The club house was constructed in 1974 with a common room for 50, washrooms and a full kitchen with fridge, stove and dishwasher. The porch on the club house faces the greens and is a welcome spot for visitors watching the play. The Elmira Lions Club provided a storage shed for the greens equipment and around 1990 the Elmira Kiwanis Club constructed four sun shelters at the end of the greens opposite the club house. 

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In 2015 several members of the club refurbished the inside of the clubhouse.  Surrounding gardens are always being groomed and the greens are kept by club member volunteers to strict guidelines.

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The club has been in existence for more than ninety wonderful years and will be here for the community for many more years to come.