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JUNE FOCUS/44 pages indd 19 & George Gerrow George Gerrow was Port Perry Port Perry Lawn Bowling Club was located on Queen St. for most of its 100 years. The trade, but entered into pt above photo was taken about 1980 before it moved to its present location 22 years ago. life in 4907 when he was elect- ed a councillor on Scugog OMAN) 100 wae ‘After moving to Port Port Perry Lawn Bowling Club is erved two terms celebrating its Centennial year One hundred years ago a Port Perry builder, George Gerrow, established the Port Perry Lawn Bowling Club. | wonder if George, the first president, ever imagined that in 2008 the Lawn Bowling Club would still be going strong and about to celebrate the club’s 100th Anniversary. There were 18 charter members in 1908 and as the club celebrates centennial they do so with about 60 members, which speaks volumes about the continuing popular- ity of the sport. The club started on property now known as Reflection Park, located in the centre of downtown Port Perry beside Jester’s Court, but has been located at its present site on Old Simcoe Road since 1986. After speaking with Dennis Bayley, a former president of the Lawn Bowling Club, | learned a lot about the Port Perry Club, the sport of lawn bowling and also had a few misconceptions blown out of the water. I've always imagined a genteel game, not really a sport but rather a leisurely stroll about the lawns, like a dressed up game of croquet. Dennis informed me that I was very mistaken. Says Dennis, “I joined the Lawn Bowling Club after I moved to Port Perry in 1998. It’s a wonderful gentle exercise, but its also competitive, very social, you get a chance to play in tournaments and it is not an expensive sport, in terms of equip- ment.” Dennis also blew away my perceptions of lawn bowling as an older person’s sport. Remarked Dennis, “What is not well known is that current world champions Please see ‘lawn bowlers’ on page 22 i iti ext sevel this position for the ne e years (1911-1917), becoming reeve of the town at this time. One of his crowning at ing the construction © fame Hill, on the south end ff \sland, eliminating the large hill leading Cartwright causeway. n r the longest serving en Merlin W. Letcher tes ne ee Was one of Port Perry's most ts ; . aan admired residents during the mid- In 1953 he served a: i f 'S President of th inci Lawn Bowling Association of Ontario, © Provincia He was an active member of t town’s Reeve he community Another Of the public life website: www.focusonscugog.com FOCUS - JUNE 2008 19 5726/08 8:59:56 AM |