Ormiston Bowling Club (OBC) is more than 100 years old, has been at its present site since 1929 and in that time has produced both male and female internationalists, Scottish champions, countless county players and hundreds of fun loving bowling enthusiasts, of which I am one.
I’ve been a member since I was 11 – 40 years and counting.
The front page of last week’s Courier really does break my heart. The old lady is in a sorrowful state and I am delighted East Lothian Council has stepped in to try and remedy this horrendous situation.
Willie Innes and his party at the last local elections put in their manifesto a promise to buy back OBC; they have done it. Well done for keeping their word is what I say.
The health benefits alone of bowling, ensuring people stay physically, mentally and socially active, are not in question. Participants can play almost from cradle to grave – our local health centre lobbied East Lothian Council with these very points.
A full village survey has indicated that more than 99 per cent wanted a bowling club facility in the village.
With an uncanny knack of being utterly predictable, up pipes Stuart Currie, ex-Labour, ex-Lib Dem and whose political tardis has now landed at the door of the SNP, where he has in fact become leader.
He is upset about “secret decisions” and indeed wants a probe in to the purchase, and even brings up Ormiston play park in a pitiful attempt to garner support.
He’s playing a dangerous game by trying to put Ormiston people against Ormiston people. The kids in the park are the ones I want to play bowls; we are one and the same.
Talking of kids, can you remember the SNP prior to the last local elections suggesting school pupils should cycle to Ross High from Ormiston as cutbacks were required and savings had to be made?
They sure weren’t kidding; when they left office, East Lothian had the highest net level of debt of any local authority in Scotland.
Mr Currie has a great answer to our woes in his manifesto – sell Musselburgh Racecourse, one of the jewels in East Lothian’s crown! What next, sell North Berwick Law to some rich oil sheikh? Nothing would surprise me!
Ruth Currie was an SNP councillor who attended many of the same meetings as myself with regards the demolition and rebuild of the village hall. The hall and the bowling club are 10 yards apart. Support to include the bowling club in the plans and design was overwhelming, it made commonsense.
It didn’t happen. The SNP didn’t listen and went their own way. Ruth Currie was not elected next time around.
Voters have long memories and so do I. I can remember Whitecraig Bowling Club being bought for £250,000 a number of years ago by East Lothian Council. Stuart Currie was in no way connected to that purchase but it now forms part of his current constituency. I wonder if he fancies popping round to their next league game and airing the same views that he did in last week’s Courier to his local constituents. I think not!
Won’t be needing Audit Scotland for that one!
Stewart Johnston President Ormiston Bowling Club
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