Nedlands Bridge Club

Statement of Significance

The Ncdlands Bridge Club has II moderate degree of historic and social significance. It represents the sincere and earnest efforts of a well established community group at the time it was built. It was the home of the oldest Bowling Club in the City of Perth. holding its first meeting in July 1930. Since 1989 it has been the home of the Nedlands Bridge Club.

Physical Description

The Ncdlands Bridge Club is located in Bruce Street to the east of the Nedlands Golf Course. The building faces Bruce Street and the tennis court but entry is via the western carpark on Melvista Avenue. There is another carpark on thc southern side. Grassed areas surround the site with one of these leading down to the former bowling greens which have been converted to tennis courts. The building appears to have been constructed in two sections. The original section is built from salmon coloured brick on a red brick plinth. The unsympathetic addition does not continue with the red brick plinth. A solid parapet with returns and with the club's name attached on the east face extends above the roof in the southern section. The two pitch roof of corrugated, asbestos fibre, reinforced cement sheets is suspended on steel trusses with lattice webbing at the north and south ends. On the side facing Bruce Street the roof extends over a verandah, part of which is enclosed with glass and has tubular steel railings. A package unit air conditioner has been installed in a recess along the southern elevation, resulting in changes to the window line along that elevation. The building has had many small alterations made to it over time, many of which do not blend sympathetically with the original structure. Many of the external finishes have been painted, including some of the face brickwork plinth and the timber vertical boarding. The basic assembly of building elements and materials is of a type common in the 1950-60 period, arising from the need for low cost accommodation and facilities in a community of emerging confidence and wealth. It is said that until fairly recently an earlier timber club house was located nearby, but this has since been demolished.

History

This site was the home of the Nedlands Bowling Club, which was formed in 1930. The Club rented a bowling green in Melvista from the Claremont Roads Board for two years at an annual fee of £100. A timber club house was built, but has since been demolished, subsequent to the construction of the later club house. The Ncdlands Bowling Club celebrated its golden jubilee in 1980. When the Club amalgamated with the Dalkeith Bowling Club in 1989 the club house building was abandoned. private non profit bridge club, the RosendorffBridge Studio, was established in 1972 by Nigel Rosendorff in premises in Broadway, Ncdlands. When membership increased to 300 the name was changed to the Nedlnnds Bridge Club Incorporated, owned by members. New premises were needed and after negotiations with the City of Nedlands, the Nedlands Bridge Club moved into the old club house in January 1989. The Bridge Club still occupies the premises, and the WA Bridge Association has its headquarters there. The building is the venue for State Bridge Competitions.

Integrity/Authenticity

Moderate

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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