Fort Wayne Curling Club Introduces Lawn Bowls to Community

The Fort Wayne Curling Club has launched an initiative to introduce the sport of lawn bowls to the northeast Indiana community.

The newly established Fort Wayne Lawn Bowls Club will operate as a division of the Fort Wayne Curling Club, offering lawn bowls from April through September each year. Lawn bowls, a sport popular in United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia, features rolling a ball toward a target. The sport shares similarities with both bocce and curling, particularly in its scoring, terminology and culture.

The competition area will be constructed on the grounds of the Fort Wayne Curling Club. A bowling green is a roughly 120-by-120-foot flat grass area, similar to a golf green, with a shallow ditch around it. Fundraising efforts are underway to cover the construction costs and the club has already raised nearly 50 percent of the anticipated funds.

“The addition of lawn bowls will provide the Fort Wayne community with an excellent spring and summer activity for families and people of all ages and abilities,” said Craig Fischer, president and co-founder of the Fort Wayne Curling Club. “We are committed to making lawn bowls accessible to everyone, just as we have done with curling, and we are excited to extend our adaptive programs year-round.”

Once the green is completed, the Fort Wayne Lawn Bowls Club will offer weekly leagues, “Try Bowls” sessions for community members, corporate and private events, and programs for individuals with disabilities and senior citizens. The green will also accommodate croquet. Curling will continue from September through April.

“While it is sometimes viewed as a retirement sport, it is also quite popular among younger people,” said Fischer. “We aim to create a cool, relaxing environment where people can enjoy a summer evening in Fort Wayne with the refreshment of their choice.”