We're Going for the Green

#24, September 22, 1999

 

"It's not an old folk's game. It's a challenging game, very competitive, but one we old folks can be good at."

 

With that, he swung his arm like a pendulum, releasing the lopsided ball inches above the close-cropped grass. It traced a delicate arc ever-so-slowly across the lawn. As the ball rolled, the gentleman turned around, pulled a pack of gum from the pocket of his snow-white shirt, unwrapped a stick, and put it in his mouth. When he turned back, his "bowl" was just creeping to a halt, having threaded its way through the opposing team's bowls to gently kiss the "jack", a cue-ball like target. His wink and his smile said all that needed to be said.

 

The gentleman and his lady partner were going easy on me, as it was my first time on a bowling green. For my part, I tried to not pretend I could master the sport in these few hours of instruction. Lack of humility is not without consequence in the world of Lawn Bowls, I was assured.

 

I had a fabulous time. Lawn Bowls (not the same as round-balled Bocce Ball) is equal parts putting, croquet, chess, and Zen archery. Teams from 1 to 4 players use elaborate strategies to put as many of their bowls as possible closer to the jack than their opponents. Americans' interest in Bowls has been growing steadily, but its been widely popular in Europe for centuries.

 

I got to that place, the Richmond Lawn Bowls Club, via one Eugenia Shribbs. Eugenia's "bowldog" determination to bring Lawn Bowls and a Bowling Green to town is finally beginning to pay off. For several years, she's been seeking a site for the 120 foot square green, but land costs and tight City parks budgets stood in the way.

 

This April, however, City Parks Director Jim Carr was struck by inspiration. The lawn west of the library had little recreational value as turf. It's close to public restrooms and parking, and its high visibility would deter vandalism or misuse. A bowling green there would become the western tip of a recreation crescent that included the playground/picnic area, library, teen center, fairgrounds, skate park, swim center, basketball courts, baseball and soccer fields.

 

As a Parks Commissioner, I volunteered to help. Eugenia and I met on the site with Steve Caulkins, one of the country's premier bowling green builders and a lawn bowls booster. He confirmed Jim's choice, adding that the site's exposure gave it year round all day sunshine. Steve agreed to jumpstart the fundraising by donating $20,000 worth of lawn maintenance equipment.

 

Next, Eugenia, with help from other volunteers, revived the Petaluma Lawn Bowls Club, elected officers, and mapped out a campaign to raise the $150,000 needed to build the facility. We met with the people in the Old East Petaluma Neighborhood to explain the project, and hear any concerns. The response was overwhelmingly positive. It's not hard to see how a bowling green and its patrons would be assets to any neighborhood.

 

On Saturday, September 25, from 3-4 PM, the Club will hold their kick-off event, right on the grass at the corner of Payran and Washington. There will be entertainment and some speeches by various dignitaries. Most important, though, you'll get to see what the Petaluma Lawn Bowling Green will look like, and get some hands-on experience of lawn bowls. We'll be collecting donations, of course, but what we need most now are volunteers to assist, however they can, with a major fund raising effort (to help, call Eugenia at 769-7380.)

 

Building a lawn bowls green in the heart of town will be a healthy thing for Petaluma. It'll provide a place for folks young and old to playfully compete (on a very level playing field, I might add) and socialize, in a way like no other sport can. As the only public green in Sonoma County, it will bring in tournaments and tourists. And watching that bowl move quietly across the green has a magical way of slowing down the hectic pace of life. That's medicine we all could use.