Much thanks to the Grey Lynn Residents, Grey Lynn Business Association, the Richmond Junior club volunteers, Grey Lynn Tavern and our loyal supporters of Richmond Rovers rugby league. We appreciated the opportunity to promote our proud club and for also sharing your thoughts, feedback and welcomed donations.
On Saturday 29 March, the Richmond Rovers Junior club participated at the Grey Lynn Street Party organised by the Grey Lynn Business Association. This community run event allowed for the Richmond Rovers Rugby league & sports club to mix and mingle with other local businesses. The Richmond Rovers Junior club got together and ran a successful sausage sizzle barbecue fund-raiser outside of the Grey Lynn Tavern.
Much thanks to the Grey Lynn Residents, Grey Lynn Business Association, the Richmond Junior club volunteers, Grey Lynn Tavern and our loyal supporters of Richmond Rovers rugby league. We appreciated the opportunity to promote our proud club and for also sharing your thoughts, feedback and welcomed donations.
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By LAUREN PRIESTLEY Source: Harbour News A century-old club is breaking new ground by going cold turkey this year. Richmond Rovers Rugby League & Sports Club, based at Grey Lynn Park, has been alcohol-free since March 17. "We're basically promoting this as a sports club, not a drinking club," chairman Gus Fepuleai says. "It's about forward thinking and trying to get alcohol right away from our kids. We've got to change that culture of drinking and sports that's been around forever." The decision was made because of issues with drinking in Grey Lynn Park where antisocial behaviour, noise and litter have been the subject of frequent complaints from neighbours in the past three years, he says. The club wants to bring the focus back to sport. "Rugby league has been copping the stick for a long time and it's about time we're doing something positive. "Someone has to take the lead. It's our performance on the field that is important and looking after the welfare of our players, kids and community." The club will lose revenue from the bar but will save money by not needing to hire additional staff and extra security at the premises, Mr Fepuleai says. Grey Lynn Residents Association chairman Dan Salmon says the decision to remove alcohol is a brave one. The sports club has been working hard to foster relationships with other organisations in the area as well as the park's neighbours, he says. "I think it's a big and bold step they've made to try and address those issues. "I really hope they get support from the community and the club for doing it. It's definitely something to watch and hopefully other sports clubs around the country might follow." Waitemata Local Board deputy chairwoman Pippa Coom says the club has made the decision with its future in mind. "It's really courageous that they've done it. I know it is a difficult decision for them but I personally think they've really done the right thing." Mr Fepuleai says the board is also pushing for new facilities at the Grey Lynn Park site and is starting a two to five-year business plan to increase membership with the aim of keeping Richmond going for the next 100 years. The club wants to take part in the Grey Lynn Park Festival this year and will focus on selling healthy drinks and food at the clubrooms, he says. "It's about the values and letting the kids know what is right and what is wrong. "You can access alcohol anywhere. What's the big deal with not having it right in front of our kids' faces?" RICHMOND ROVERS RUGBY LEAGUE & SPORTS CLUB TO BECOME ALCOHOL FREE IN 2014 The Richmond Rovers Board of Directors has taken the lead to make the Richmond Rovers Rugby League & Sports Club an alcohol free club. This means the Richmond Rovers Club will not be serving any alcoholic beverage at the club in 2014 with immediate effect. This forward thinking move by the Board of Directors is supported by club members but will no doubt have many wondering what is behind this brave change. “The Richmond Club bar will lose some revenue”, says Chairman Gus Fepuleai, but the Board of Directors anticipates positive growth by “building relationships with local businesses, organisations and agencies who are in support of the sports club taking a stand against alcohol”. Fepuleai’s’ confidence has already gained merit with the club’s alcohol free policy receiving 100% backing from its major sponsors L.J Hooker (Ponsonby), Giltrap Prestige (VW), ACR Roofing and Waterview Laundromat. Revenue from the Richmond Club bar has been falling for a number of years which has been made worse by the number of volunteer hours and resources required from the Board to organise paid bar staff and security. Add to this the growing complaints and concerns from local Grey Lynn Park residents regarding undesirable drinking behavior in the park’s vicinity. To combat these problems all senior club alcohol related after match functions, and club social fundraisers will be held at Richmond’s partner premises: The Grey Lynn Tavern, located at 523 Great North Road, Grey Lynn. The Richmond club will remain open as normal for Junior and Senior team prize-giving, non-alcoholic functions, meetings of local groups, fitness groups, community activities and club run seminars. Fepuleai believes the “club’s members will support the positive benefits” of a no alcohol tolerance policy following many highly publicised alcohol related incidents of professional rugby league stars from the Australasian NRL competition. Voicing his proposal in front of a vocal public forum held at the Richmond Rovers Clubrooms on Wednesday 29 January 2014, the Chairman commented that “2014 will be a year of change and the rugby league code itself needs to become more forward thinking”. Sideline spectators who choose to bring alcoholic beverages to the Grey Lynn Park grounds will be encouraged to drink in moderation, however Fepuleai is under no illusions and understands his and the Board of Directors limitations in addressing this behavior. The Auckland City Council already has imposed liquor ban notices surrounding Grey Lynn Park and other parks throughout the city. Fepuleai has indicated that “we will strongly encourage and promote to our Richmond club members, family, friends and supporters to consume alcohol in moderation”. MORE As part of its work to build a stronger community-centered club, the Board of Directors, with the support of the Richmond Rovers club members, will focus on a 2-5 year business plan that includes plans to increase junior and senior club membership and its continued campaign to attain Waitemata Community Board and Auckland Council support for a brand new Richmond Rovers Club room facility. With over 500 paid club members in 2013 it is hoped that Fepuleai’s vision will cater to the needs of the club members, the community and other sporting codes currently sharing the Grey Lynn Park grounds including American Grid Iron, Tag Football, Touch Football and Netball. Richmond Club Treasurer and local Grey Lynn Park resident Graeme Atmore believes the focus of the Club needs to go towards creating better people and opportunities, “to eliminate the hassles of alcohol would enable the Richmond Board to focus on more meaningful projects”. Benefits of an alcohol free club include:
For more information contact: Gus Fepuleai, ph: 021 0836 9836 Graeme Atmore, ph: 021 360040 Source: Jess Lee from Auckland Harbour News The future development of Grey Lynn Park is up for discussion once again. Reporter Jess Lee spoke to park users about what they hope to see happen to this jewel in the suburb's crown. Most users of Grey Lynn Park - from dog-walkers to rugby league players - will agree that it could do with a bit of a spruce-up. Some of its facilities were upgraded a few years ago after lobbying by the community who wanted to breathe a bit of life into the tired park. But with standards slipping again, some users say an assessment to determine the needs of the park can't come soon enough. Community groups and long-time resident rugby league club the Richmond Rovers have been consulted. The Waitemata Local Board is awaiting the report which will be used to update its development plan. It should go on the board agenda by March ahead of wider public consultation, chairman Shale Chambers says. Richmond Rovers treasurer Graeme Atmore wants to see the plans put into action. "The facilities are substandard and desperately need upgrading," he says. "We want to be in a position where by the end of next summer we've knocked this over and are building a replacement." At the moment the club's 600 players have to make do with sharing small changing rooms in the rundown 1970s clubhouse while visiting teams sometimes have to change under a tree. The poor state of the sports fields are also a concern, he says. "We have thousands of people down here every Saturday and things just aren't up to scratch. "The club has been here a hundred years and I think the council doesn't realise the suffering we're going through." Grey Lynn Park Advisory Group member Nicola Legat says the community want to see a commitment to enhancing and maintaining the park. "It's the heart and lungs of the neighbourhood. The park's resources are used by a lot of people for a lot of different reasons," Ms Legat says. "It's all very well having a plan but there needs to be money put aside as well." The advisory group is encouraged by the assessment and is eagerly awaiting the plans when they go out for consultation, she says. A big thank-you to our newest partner- the Grey Lynn Business Association. The GLBA and the Richmond Rovers rugby league club are keen to work together to build a strong foundation for small businesses in the neighbourhood. Richmond club hosted the GLBA on Wednesday 12th June in which Richmond chairman Gus Fepuleai spoke of building on its relationship with local business., "The aim for both parties is to build on the exisiting relationship between the Grey Lynn community, the 100 year old Richmond Rovers club, its club members and local business who service the local community." The Grey Lynn Business Association has celebrated its first birthday and has achieved a lot in its first year, including several street parties, workshops and seminars, networking drinks and collaboration on shared projects like the beautificaiton of the Surrey Crescent shopping area and being a voice for business and community in the council consultation process. We are grateful for their support of the Richmond Rovers Rugby league club and look forward to working together more in the future! Click here to join the GLBA today |
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