Ballarat District Bowls Division has decided weekend pennant competition will go ahead this Saturday, but the board won’t impose any financial penalties on teams that forfeit matches.
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The region’s bowls community has been left in shock following a tragic bus accident on Saturday which claimed the life of Mt Xavier bowler Carmel Mitchell and left many other people seriously injured.
BDBD bowlers were on their way back to Ballarat from Mildura – where they had played in a tournament – when the vehicle they were travelling in left the Sunraysia Highway, rolled down an embankment and flipped on its side.
On Monday, BDBD chairman Sandra Chapman confirmed weekend pennant matches were planned to go ahead as scheduled.
Round three of the competition is set to be played on Saturday.
The BDBD conducts nine divisions of weekend pennant, with Sebastopol, Webbcona, Victoria and BMS involved in the elite Geelong-Ballarat Premier Bowls league.
“It gives (people) a chance just to even get together,” Chapman said of the decision to play.
“Sometimes they get fined for forfeiting or walkovers and things, but we understand that it’s a hard time.”
Chapman said the decision to abandon Monday’s round of midweek pennant had been well supported by the bowls community.
“Everyone totally agreed,” Chapman said.
“30-something ladies (involved in the accident) would not be playing (Monday) that normally would.”
Chapman said some clubs in the region had organised gatherings to discuss Saturday’s tragedy.
“Now it’s coming to terms with what’s happened, the impact it’s having on lives and on clubs,” Chapman said.
The BDBD will host a candlelit vigil at the Buninyong Bowling Club from 6pm on Tuesday evening.
This is expected to draw hundreds of people from the bowling community, but is also open to anybody that wishes to attend.
A councillor is expected to be at the vigil to speak with those struggling to deal with what has taken place.
