THE revival of Rathmines Memorial Bowling Club has continued with a $175,000 renovation of the interior of the heritage-listed building.
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New carpet and tiles, updated furniture, and a fresh paint job are immediately apparent.
But the eye is inevitably drawn to the new wartime images at the bar.
Black and white pictures of the former air base at Rathmines have been reproduced on aluminium panels and illuminated with downlighting with impressive effect.
Club president Paul Jacka said the renovations had been made possible by changes made by the board of directors to the operation of the club (which trades as Club Catalina).
Those changes had boosted the club's membership and patronage.
"We're a bowling club by name, but we're really a community club now, and the community has given us excellent support," Mr Jacka said.
In 2014, the club was struggling.
The board made an extraordinary appeal through the Lakes Mail for locals to patronise the club.
The community responded to ensure the club's survival.
Today, the club has 1000 members, Mr Jacka said.
The advent of a courtesy bus, trivia nights, wine tasting evenings, live bands, rock and roll dancing, and even the installation of a children's water slide on the club's synthetic bowling greens had helped to broaden the club's appeal.
"You can't move in here when we have the wine tastings, and when we have the water slides on the bowling greens families come and have a great time," Mr Jacka said.
"And we regularly have 50 to 70 people here on a Wednesday for the trivia nights."
The club's restaurant, Taste of Thai, had also been a major drawcard, he said.
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The club had hoped to also upgrade the outside of the building.
The plan was to extend the deck, erect a shade sail, and install a children's playground.
A development application was lodged for the additions, but it was rejected by the state government's Office of Environment and Heritage.
Club board member Jeremy Howells said that rejection epitomised the challenges the board faced in trying to modernise the premises while abiding by the building's heritage protections.
Those protections applied most stringently to the outside of the building, Mr Howells said.
Mr Jacka said he was excited about the club's future.
Lake Macquarie City Council was developing a masterplan for the Rathmines Park area, and the implications for the club looked positive, he said.
One potential feature of that masterplan is a hangar and museum to house a restored Catalina. Such a facility could prove a boon for patronage at the club.
The masterplan could also enable the restoration of the swimming baths opposite the club, the installation of a fishing platform, and approval for pop-up vendors on the grassed surrounds of the club, and three-day campervan permits.
Club secretary Ross Wylde-Browne said the renovations were the first major works completed at the club since the new entryway was built 12 years ago.
He said the club, where possible, had engaged the services of local suppliers and tradesmen in completing the recent renovations.
"In addition, club volunteers contributed many hundreds of hours of labour to the project in order to keep costs down," he said.
