East York’s Cosburn Park Lawn Bowling Club is marking its 90th birthday by welcoming a number of local dignitaries to its Opening Day celebrations on Saturday, May 11.
Located at 525 Cosburn Ave., two blocks west of Coxwell Avenue, the club’s Opening Day activities will include Toronto-Danforth MP Julie Dabrusin, a club member, throwing the first ceremonial bowl of the season.
Also expected to attend the Opening Day celebrations will be Toronto-Danforth Councillor Paula Fletcher and Beaches-East York Councillor Brad Bradford.
The first bowl is slated for 1 p.m. on May 11 as part of the Opening Day ceremonies which will also feature a type of bowls game known as a ‘jitney’.
Jitney is Canadian lawn bowling slang for a game where teams are determined randomly. Those taking part in the opening ceremonies can also learn some other common lawn bowling terms such as “kissing the jack”, “a toucher”, “throwing a wrong bias” and “I’ll grab the rake”.
The Cosburn club is also hosting a trio of Open Houses next week for community members to learn the basics of lawn bowling.
Open Houses are set for 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 14, and Thursday, May 16. An Open House will also take place at 1 p.m. on May 16.
Though the club was established in 1929, Cosburn Park Lawn Bowling Club said in a press release that it “prides itself on a forward-looking approach that defies stereotypes about lawn bowling.”
The Cosburn club is growing in both numbers and diversity, with close to 200 current members – 40 per cent of which are not seniors.
Also, the Cosburn club hosts the Toronto Rainbowlers, the city’s only LGBT lawn bowling society.
“Cosburn Park attracts a broad range of bowlers,” said Club President Frank Hibbs in the press release, “but people are like-minded too, in that they value the friendliness, the openness and the camaraderie here. We’re growing – largely through word of mouth – because members tell their friends about the club.”
For more information on the Cosburn Park Lawn Bowling Club, please visit www.cosburnbowls.ca
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